Transit Talk with the General Manager
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February 05, 2016
Mike Wiley, General Manager/CEO
Proposed Fare Changes and General Transit Questions
Archived

Comments from Mike Wiley: 

At the RT Board of Directors meeting held on January 25, 2016, RT staff presented a financial update and fare change proposal, which outlined a plan to increase fares by approximately 20 percent, effective July 1, 2016.

Details of the proposal can be found online at sacrt.com. The proposed new fare structure is as follows:
  • Basic Single Fare - $3.00
  • Discount Single Fare - $1.50
  • Basic Daily Pass - $7.50
  • Discount Daily Pass - $3.75
  • Basic Monthly Pass - $120.00
  • Basic Semi-Monthly Pass - $65.00
  • Student Semi-Monthly Sticker - $30.00
  • Student Semi-Monthly Sticker (Free/Reduced Lunch) - $20.00
  • Senior/Disabled Monthly Sticker - $70.00
  • Senior/Disabled Semi-Monthly Sticker - $35.00
  • Paratransit Single Fare - $6.00
  • Paratransit Monthly Pass - Discontinued
Light rail single fare ticket time limit reduced from two hours to 90 minutes Concerns about the adverse effects the proposal would have on the disabled community and ridership overall dominated the conversation late into the evening. After public comment, the RT Board of Directors voiced their concerns with the plan and instructed staff to develop additional options to close what is projected to be an approximately $19.6 million budget shortfall over the next five years if nothing is done.

I want to stress that new revenue sources will be needed.

Since 2009, RT has not implemented any fare changes and has consistently faced fiscal challenges. RT's operating costs have increased an average of 5.23 percent over each of the last five years as a result of service increases, wage and benefit costs, and inflationary increases in goods and services. During that same timeframe, fare revenue has also decreased by $500,000 per year.

If we continue with the status quo, RT will not have the necessary funding for annual operating needs, including the funds needed to make improvements to system cleanliness, security, safety and reliability. Not only that, we will not have the ability to attract capital investment to fund new buses and rail cars, or rehabilitate stations needed to achieve the vision of an RT system that meets the needs of the entire community.

Recent news coverage has focused on the price of the proposed fares in relation to other transit agencies across the state and nation. What they have failed to report is that many of the agencies with lower or similar fares receive a far greater level of financial support through local tax measures. A ballot measure to increase local funding for public transit was mentioned by the RT Board as a potential revenue source to be investigated.

RT is working with its labor force and partners in the region to explore new ways of doing business to improve the overall experience at a reduced cost. We are implementing new policies and procedures focused on identifying creative revenue sources, inspecting and collecting current fares, and using technology to improve convenience and the passenger experience.

In February, RT will hold five open houses spread throughout our service area, taking comment on the proposed fare increases and presenting budget-balancing options for review.

Open Houses:

Wednesday, February 10 Noon to 7 p.m. Mills Building - Mather Field/Mills Station 2900 Mather Field Road, Rancho Cordova Accessible by light rail to the Mather Field/Mills Station, and Routes 21, 28, 72, 74 and 75

Tuesday, February 16 Noon to 7 p.m. RT Auditorium 1400 29th Street, Sacramento Accessible by light rail to the 29th Street Station, and Routes 38, 67 and 68

Wednesday, February 17 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Arcade Library 2443 Marconi Avenue, Sacramento Accessible by Routes 25 and 26

Tuesday, February 23 Noon to 7 p.m. Citrus Heights Community Center 6300 Fountain Square Drive, Citrus Heights Accessible by Routes 1, 23 and 95

Thursday, February 25 Noon to 7 p.m. Cosumnes River College - Winn Center 8401 Center Parkway, Sacramento (East entrance off of Bruceville Road) Accessible by light rail to the Cosumnes River College Station, and Routes 54, 55 and 56

For more information, visit sacrt.com.


Sacramento, CA:  Yesterday, HomeTown Buffet abruptly closed three out of four restaurants in Sacramento County. Two of those, one on Watt Avenue, and the other on Florin Road received very good and frequent service from Regional Transit both from riders who worked at these two locations, as well as from riders who patronized these two locations. Now, what riders like me have been hearing, is that the only location left is on Sunrise Boulevard in Citrus Heights. I have been to this location as a patron, and I can tell you firsthand that this location needs service improvements from Regional Transit, especially on the weekends when this HomeTown Buffet is open and serving breakfast by or before 8am. The Sunrise Boulevad HomeTown Buffet is located North of the Sunrise Mall. Unfortunately, weekend service on Route 21 does not travel North of the Sunrise Mall until 10:36am. Why couldn't weekend trips along Northbound Route 21 arriving at Sunrise Mall at 7:36, 8:36, and 9:36 in the morning travel all the way to the Louis/Orlando transfer point? It would make sense to extend these three trips, not only to get to weekend breakfast at HomeTown Buffet, but to also make connections to both Roseville and Placer County Transit. On weekends, they operate regular fixed route services on Saturdays starting right around 8am or so. Please do your riders a favor, and extend the three morning trips from Sunrise Mall to the Louis/Orlando Transfer Point. Thank you.

Reply:  This is a request we have received several times before, although I was not aware that Hometown Buffet was such a popular destination for our riders! We are in a very tight budget situation right now, so we are not currently expanding service, but this is one item we do have on our list. You may want to try other establishments such as China Buffett on Broadway. Take bus route #51.


Folsom, CA:  In the October 2015 "Transit Talk" you described that Regional Transit is engaged with the City of Folsom to perhaps run Gold Line Trains (to/from Folsom) to the hours of the rest of the Gold and Blue Lines, and even be the operator of the Folsom Stage Lines bus service as well. I am excited for this to happen. Between October and now, we have learned in Folsom that we will be gaining a Dunkin' Donuts Restautant that will be located in a small shopping center at 9601 GreenBack Lane with Orangevale just a stones throw away. Since it has been awhile since October, can you please update me and the rest of Folsom reading this on the latest transit objectives happening here, and if you think they can be accomplished by or before the end of the current Fiscal Year? Thank you. Much appreciated.

Reply:  There won't be any changes before the end of the fiscal year, i.e., there won't be any changes before June 30th. We are still in negotiations with Folsom at this point, but this is something that could happen as early as September if both parties were to reach agreement soon.


Citrus Heights, CA:  In regards to the proposed fare increase, local television news has had a headline out, and I am paraphrasing here, "TRANSIT AGENCY BACKS OFF OF 20% FARE INCREASE." I am a person who does not necessarily believe everything they read or see. Could you clarify for me, whether there are now revised proposals versus what the online link to the staff report otherwise has? If so, what are the revised proposals as you begin to hold open houses starting with Wednesday of this next work week?

Reply:  Great question. Several members of RT's Board of Directors expressed that a 20 percent increase was too severe and instructed staff to prepare alternatives that might be for a lower fare increase or a more gradual, phased-in approach. Staff has shared with me some alternatives that meet this description, but we have not released them to the public. Our public review efforts are focused on making sure that riders are aware that potential changes are in the works and that they have an opportunity to share their thoughts, issues, concerns, and suggestions. Information on the changes, a Title VI equity analysis, and a rider survey is available online at: http://www.sacrt.com/fares16.stm


Sacramento, CA:  How much are you proposing the fares be increased?

Reply:  Information on the fare increases can be found at http://sacrt.com/fares16.stm. The proposal includes an approximately 20 percent increase to all fares. You can also see a list of the proposed fare in my opening message today.


South Sacramento, CA:  Several recent weekends have seen construction activity on the Blue Line to CRC. What exactly is going on, and how many more weekends do you see this going on for?

Reply:  The contractor is still working on the railing on the new pedestrian bridge that connects the parking structure with the station. This should be complete by March.


Sacramento, CA:  If current prepaid tickets expire on June 30th, and we are being told that they will not be exchanged, what will we be able to buy starting in July? This has concerned me quite a bit.

Reply:  RT's plan is to have tickets with a new expiration date available in late May, allowing riders to use their remaining tickets with a June 30, 2016 expiration date.


Sacramento, CA:  I have a sticker as my pass rather than fare media with a magnetic stripe. So far this month, a few bus operators have explained to me that I will need to go to customer service and exchange my sticker based monthly pass for one that has a magnetic stripe. I have been informed by bus operators that sticker based passes can not be verified by them to see if they are confirmed to be real versus counterfeit. As a result of what they are telling me, I completely understand. My question to you then is, how can I exchange my sticker based Photo ID Pass for one that can comply with the new magnetic stripe policy you now have in place? What type of monthly pass do you have that can swipe, but one in which the rider pays $50 for the full month rather than $100 for the full month? I am not sure that one exists. For March, could I come to customer service and have my Photo ID redone, but for the Connect Card, rather than the existing card? For that card of the future, at least I have some peace of mind that I can tag my card on and off your vehicles, and at the same time your agency wins as it appears that you can also confirm validity of these cards of the future at the same time as I take my rides.

Reply:  Passengers using RT photo ID cards with valid fare stickers (Disabled pass, Senior Pass, etc.) or Sac State Commuter sleeves and Los Rios Community College Student Access Cards as a form of fare media, will not need to swipe upon boarding. Simply put, if the pass doesn't have a magnetic stripe, you will continue to validate with the operator. We will continue to work with our operators on the new policy.


Sacramento, CA:  Why don't the "Security" people enforce the rules? Yesterday I rode a train with a "Security" person on it. There were a couple folks that likely did not pay to ride (they were not asked to show tickets) and another person eating right next to the "Security" person. That tells me that there is no expectation of consequence for not obeying the rules. I am feeling like I am the one being foolish for obeying the rules. If the "Security" people are not going to do anything then why not drop them so you need less of a fair increase.

Reply:  Our current security guards are not authorized to check for valid fare onboard trains. However, we are working on a plan to increase the number of people conducting fare enforcement on our system. The guards should be enforcing rule violations such as audible music, large baggage, and loud or unruly behavior. If you see a guard not enforcing the rules, please let us know by reporting the issue to our phone or text tip line at 916-556-0275 or by texting to 67283 and beginning your message with "sacrt".


Sacramento, CA:  What is the latest going forward regarding the 7th & K Streets Station? If it is going to close, will the official closure date be September 4th? I put this date out there based on RT history of making major service changes on the first Sunday in September in the past.

Reply:  The RT Board has not made a decision at this point. RT staff will be making a recommendation to the Board at their meeting on February 22nd.


Carmichael, CA:  My question is on the proposed fare increase. Your website steers viewers to a staff report on this subject matter, and in it, I read about Central City Fares for Connect Card Users, Transfers for Connect Card Users, and timed fares for Connect Card Users. I asked myself, and I now ask you, What Connect Card? What is this? People have been asking me at work about this, and I am completely confused. Back in May of 2013, I was one of 200 individuals who tested the Connect Card. Now, it seems like that was a long time ago. What's going on? If you are planning a fare increase this July, would it be safe to assume that riders like me would be eligible by or before the start of July, to gain access and begin using a regular and/or discount eligible Connect Card?

Reply:  The contractor responsible for delivering the Connect Card has experienced significant difficulties as they work toward implementation. At this point we do not have a definitive date for it's roll-out. I am hopeful that we will begin to use it this summer.


Sacramento - Pocket Area, CA:  I live in the Pocket Area, and am wondering what (Downtown - Pocket Area) bus routes will operate late night, especially after Golden 1 Center events have let out after their conclusion? In our neighborhood, we are served by Routes 2, 3, 6, 7, and 62 when traveling directly to/from Downtown Sacramento.

Reply:  We are not planning on running any additional service on these routes. As much as we have had some requests for extra late night service on the bus system, we have not found that transit providers in similar cities have carried enough riders on their buses to justify the additional cost. This was confirmed by the travel demand modeling work for the arena, which showed only 1-2 persons likely to use bus service to/from most destinations on the bus system. We are anticipating a lot of demand for light rail, and we have seen in other cities that rail has been very popular for major sports events like Kings games. Another great thing about RT's light rail service is it already runs late enough to serve most Kings games. The main issue for us will be the cost of running extra trains to meet the demand, which we believe will exceed capacity of the normal system. We think with our limited resources that it's more important to address situations like this where we think demand may actually exceed current capacity than on bus where there might be some demand, but it doesn't appear that way. All that said, we may test some extra trips on Route 30, which our models show probably has the best likelihood of attracting riders.


Sacramento, CA:  What is the status on the Governor's Special Session on transportation? Are there some new bills or carryover bills that may help Regional Transit, especially the current financial situation improve from what was presented in the proposed fare changes? If you have the bill numbers, let me know as I will jot them down from your answer and take them to the California Legislative Information Web Page where I can then sign up and receive notifications when actions do occur.

Reply:  A number of options are being considered by the legislature during the special session. Because it is a special session there is no deadline for conclusion. At this point there are a range of funding ideas being discussed. However, most are focused on enhancing funding for streets and roads and not transit.


Rio Linda, CA:  In the past, I have suggested that Route 19 continue on Elverta Road to the WinCo Store at the intersection of Elverta and Walerga, and that Route 84 operate on the Sunday/Holiday Schedule. Now I read, through your website, that Route 19 has major schedule adherence issues on the weekends. What are you going to be doing about this and how soon?

Reply:  Unfortunately, running Route 19 to Winco would add miles and running time and running Route 84 on Sundays and holidays would also add cost, and we are in a no-expansion mode right now due to a projected deficit for the current and next fiscal years.


Sacramento, CA:  Could riders be required to display their ticket/pass (like fishermen display their license). A pre-punched hole could allow a ticket to hook over a button for those that do not have a badge holder to put it in. This could discourage riders that have not paid since they would stand out. This would likely increase revenue and make trains more pleasant to ride at the same time.

Reply:  Although this would certainly make checking fare and seeing who has fare much easier, it would be difficult to require everyone to have a lanyard. However, we are working to increase staffing to conduct significantly more robust fare inspections. This increase of fare inspection should over time deter the fare evasion we have seen in the past.


Orangevale, CA:  I heard that Route 24 may change. What changes are you considering?For what month are the changes being contemplated for? Will you consider operating the route to any one or more of the three Gold Line Stations in Folsom, or do you think the City of Folsom might block this idea? Is weekend service being taken into consideration as part of the future changes? Thank you.

Reply:  The RT Board was presented with information concerning low-productivity routes on January 11 of this year. Changes to Route 24 were listed as being of medium priority with the next steps including consideration of trip time adjustments (for better coordination with Bella Vista HS), consideration of supplanting service with dial-a-ride service and considering expanding the fixed-route services to Folsom as you inquired about. Staff has previously considered modifying Route 24 to serve Folsom, but feels it may be appropriate to reconsider this option. The general time line relayed for changes considered to be of medium priority is to finalize alternative evaluation between September and December of 2016 and seek approval of recommended changes from January to April of 2017 with a target implementation time frame of January of 2018.


Sacramento, CA:  A participant earlier today asked about later bus service to the Pocket Area once the Golden 1 Center opens. My question is on light rail for once the Golden 1 Center opens. Will Sunday/Holiday hours on light rail be extended to what they are now on the Saturday Schedule so as to accommodate the large crowds after events, including, but not limited to Kings Games on a Sunday/Holiday? It looks like you would have to extend light rail lines by two hours or so into the night to make this work for everybody involved.

Reply:  Light rail service will be enhanced to serve the Golden 1 Center on days of the major events, including weekends. This service will be similar to that provided to events on the weekdays.


Sacramento, CA:  What are you doing to reduce the significant financial burden of low income and working class riders with the current fare prices and proposed fare prices? I'm sure you realize that these fares are ridiculously expensive, especially for those with limited income (hence the reason so many tickets are issued to riders who don't pay fares)

Reply:  Regional Transit is facing some financial burdens that must be addressed. The fare has not been increased in over seven years. The proposal presented on fare increase is the beginning of a dialogue we are going to have with ridership and amongst the Board on possible solutions for making the system sustainable. We have numerous open houses scheduled to get rider input on the fare increase and hope to see you at one of them.


Foothill Farms, CA:  How will RT and other transit agencies in the Sacamento Area serve the Golden 1 Center once it does open? How will this service compare to other parts of the country that have similar infrastructure and situations that Sacramento will have, i.e. Salt Lake City, New York City, Los Angeles, Denver, and Portland?

Reply:  RT's service will be very similar to that in Salt Lake City, Phoenix, Denver, and several other cities. RT will run extra trains after major events to handle the extra passenger loads. In addition to that, we are making improvements to several downtown stations, some of which have not been renovated since they were built 30 years ago. We expect that light rail will be the fastest, most convenient, most enjoyable way to get to and from major events and that it will be a great way to expose new customers to RT.


Sacramento, CA:  You have made numerous statements regarding not having any money to add service to bus routes during this GM Chat, however you are planning on adding service to Rail, just for people riding to the Golden One Centre. Where does this rail money come from?

Reply:  The supplemental service that we plan to operate to the Golden 1 will be paid for through increased fare revenue from increased ridership. Additionally, we are exploring the potential of sponsorship opportunities that will generate increased revenue.


North Natomas, CA:  Do you see any improvements to Route 11, specifically any thoughts of adding service on Sunday's/Holidays? We have no service above Interstate 80 on Sundays/Holidays. What could be done in the near and/or short term to resolve this so that we can get service?

Reply:  Due to budgetary constraints, RT is not currently able to increase total service levels. As such, any additional service to any area within RT's service boundaries requires offsetting service reductions or cost savings measures. Staff regularly considers ways to reallocate service in a more efficient manner. On January 11, RT staff took information to the RT Board of Directors concerning low-productivity services. Should any resources be identified for reallocation following this effort, this area as well as all other areas within RT's service boundaries may be considered for changes to service levels.


Sacramento, CA:  How do you intend to pay for increased service based on projections of increased ridership for the Golden 1 center? If that is they way to do business, why not increase service to communities of color and low income first?

Reply:  The supplemental service that we plan to operate to the Golden 1 will be paid for through increased fare revenue from increased ridership. Additionally, we are exploring the potential of sponsorship opportunities that will generate increased revenue. We believe that all riders will benefit from what is essentially a systemwide service expansion associated with Arena events.


Sacramento, CA:  Curious as to how the Connect Card test that was scheduled for January went.

Reply:  The testing went as planned, and in general went very well. We hope to have the consolidated testing report from SACOG very soon.


Rancho Cordova, CA:  I apologize, but I am joining the conversation a bit late. I have two questions, and perhaps they have both been asked by other "Transit Talk" participants today. First, what changes are taking place to Route 74 and when? I was handed a Regional Transit Issue Paper by my co-worker dealing with corrective actions to low productivity routes, and Rancho Cordova's Route 74 was on the list. Second question deals with electronic fare media. I have used your new fare paying app and love it. I happen to only use Regional Transit. Some of my co-workers use Regional Transit in conjunction with other transit providers, and as a result can not use the new fare paying app. They have expressed a sense of excitement for the up and coming regional "Connect Card" as I see it being called. When will this become available for people to use, as this seems to be something that includes more agencies and therefore, more rider benefits as well. The fare paying app that I currently use, only allows folks to "RideSacRT" but no other agency in the region.

Reply:  Regarding Route 74, we are looking at the east end of the route, where ridership tends to be low, and which is partly covered by the CordoVan, and we are considering eliminating that part of the route so we can concentrate resources on the west end, where we may combine it with Route 75, to improve service levels to more popular destinations in and around Mather Field and the Kaiser Hospital. I'm glad you like the RideSacRT app and I hope you tell all your friends to check it out. In the case of the RideSacRT app, it may not currently work on every transit system (like Connect Card is intended to do) but it was very simple for RT to set up and for our riders to begin using. So it's not intended to be a solution for every rider, but we hope that it is a way for some of our riders (plus new riders) to use the system in a more convenient fashion.


Sacramento , CA:  The senior rate is actually a 40% increase. ($50 to $70). Why are Seniors getting a bigger rate hike?

Reply:  RT offers significant discounts for many reasons and user groups. These significant discounts which are often well above any required discount impact RT's revenues and its service levels as well as its prices to other user groups. With significant consideration of transportation issues for senior, RT's initial fare proposal would maintain a significant, and not required, discount for a monthly pass for seniors.


Sacramento, CA:  I want to attend the fare change open house that is going to be held at Cosumnes River College. I would arrive via the Blue Line at 5:21pm. Will there be directional signs at the CRC Station to direct folks as to where to go once they detrain? I am not too familiar with CRC as I am with Sacramento State.

Reply:  Glad to hear you will be coming to the open house. As you get off the train and you look towards the parking lot and campus you will see a set of staircase up to the campus. The Winn Center is on the right side and it is a brand new building.


Sacramento, CA:  With the fare increase there will inevitably be a higher rate of riders trying to avoid paying the fare due to it being too expensive for their budgets. What are the penalties for not paying fare on RT? What is the rate that those tickets are paid vs going overdue? And lastly, what are other ways that we can criminalize poor people for being poor?

Reply:  The fare increase conversation is just starting and we want riders feedback on it. Having said that, fare evasion is part of the problem we are working on currently and have plans to significantly increase fare inspection. The money lost from fare evasion is partly to blame for the financial situation Regional Transit is facing. A ticket for fare evasion with court costs starts at around $150 dollars.


Natomas, CA:  What new services will be provided to previously underserved communities with the money made from these fare increases?

Reply:  The fare increases are intended to close a deficit in our projected budget and if there is anything left over, there are a number of options, including contributing to cash or capital reserves, safety/security, more cleaning, or service. But that is only if there is any money left over. The first priority is to close the deficit, and staff has also been directed to try to scale the fare increase back in scale or phase it in gradually, so it is probably unlikely that there would be new money for service expansion. You may want to look into the Sacramento GO campaign, which is to pursue an increase in local sales tax for transportation. This would create the kind of new funding that is necessary for RT to undertake an expansion.


Carmichael, CA:  My suggestions for the weakest performing routes:Convert 34 to a neighborhood ride shuttle and shorten to Alkali Flat at its west end(in addition to the Sutter Memorial reroute).To replace 5,reroute 54 weekday eastern segment to serve Florin High via Stevenson,Cottonwood,and Elsie(an alternate reroute would take a back door to CRC via Mack/Elsie by splicing together viable 5 and 54 segments and then traveling to Florin high before hitting CRC).Rerouting 95 to Mercy San Juan(instead of Sunrise Mall)can reduce overlaps with other routes without increasing distance running time.Maybe shorten the 19 to Elkhorn or Don Julio to avoid overlaps on Watt and to improve efficiency.The 24 could be partly de-looped(remove underperforming segments)to improve efficiency and to facilitate an extension to Folsom.Are any of these ideas being considered?

Reply:  Thank you for your suggestions. RT has and is continuing to consider some of the suggestions that you relayed. RT's Service Planning Department will review your suggestions for further consideration. For more information about what's been identified as next steps regarding evaluation of low-performing services, please visit RT's website at: http://iportal.sacrt.com/WebApps/SRTDBM/MeetingDocs/Archives/RT%20Board%20of%20Directors%20-%20January%2011,%202016%20-%20Agenda%20Item%2008.pdf


Sacramento, CA:  On Tuesday, an open house from 3pm-6pm will be held at the RT Auditorium regarding recruitment for the next GM/CEO for RT. Is this the only one? Like the fare changes open house, couldn't more be held? Having just one limits who can go, and their available hours. I hope you can explore more open houses for this important topic just like you are for the proposed fare changes. "Survey Monkey" in the year of the monkey is great, but wouldn't you agree that face-to-face public interaction is better, especially for an important and sensitive topic like this? I hope you would agree, and that more open houses are in the works? Thank you.

Reply:  Face to Face discussions are always best, however, the pursuit of an open house for this purpose is, I believe, a first for RT. If it is well-attended, we may consider others. Thank you for your interest.


Sacramento, CA:  RT understandably needs to close its ongoing budget deficit. Raising fares is one way of achieving this. Another way is cutting unnecessary costs. In my view, there are many. For example, the Green Line, which operates approximately 14 hours a day yet only serves about 400 riders daily. Many buses operate far too frequently given the low ridership they yield. What is RT planning to do to cut costs?

Reply:  RT is actually in the process of looking at potential savings and efficiency improvements to the system, including to the Green Line. At this stage, we are not necessarily intending these to be service cuts. We would prefer these be cost-neutral efficiency improvements. But we will develop these options in a way that if the Board decided to cut service instead of saving costs elsewhere, these would be an option. More information is available online: http://iportal.sacrt.com/WebApps/SRTDBM/MeetingDocs/Archives/RT%20Board%20of%20Directors%20-%20January%2011,%202016%20-%20Agenda%20Item%2008.pdf


Sacramento, CA:  The answer to the second connect card question of the day was drastically different than one earlier, where there were significant issues. Which answer is the more accurate one?

Reply:  The recent testing went well but overall the Connect Card project has experienced difficulties in implementation.


Sacramento - River District, CA:  A co-worker of mine passed out a Regional Transit Issue Paper dated from your January 11th Board Meeting. It is about corrective action to address low productivity bus routes. What caught my attention, however, is the existing Green Line. Is January 2017, if not earlier, realistic to change the service to where it is combined with the Gold Line? How would it operate? Would the Green Line go to Sunrise, and the Gold Line go to Folsom, or other way around? Tell me a bit more, if you can, on this potential change, and when it would likely take effect, if even implemented?

Reply:  RT is currently evaluating potential operating changes to the Green and Gold Line. More information about operations and schedule may be made available as the evaluation and any potential proposal progress.


CA:  What is the point of having security guards that aren't authorized to issue citations? Seems pretty inefficient

Reply:  We understand their are issues with having guards who are unable to check for valid fare while on trains. RT is working on plans that we believe will make significant improvements to fare enforcement.


Sacramento, CA:  My question is also in regards to the fare increase and title VI hearing. Because the board asked staff to come back with alternatives to the proposal given a few weeks ago, will the equity hearing be delayed? The public comment, town halls and equity analysis all seem geared toward the existing proposal. Can an amended proposal be passed without its own public comment period and equity analysis/ hearing?

Reply:  The Title VI equity analysis of the proposed fare increase has been out for review since February 1st. We will take comments on it for 30 days. There is a reasonable likelihood that the fare change proposal will change, in which case the equity analysis will have to be updated. The Board does have to approve the Title VI before they can approve any fare changes. Whether or not we extend the review period would depend on the effect of any revisions. Right now, the analysis finds that although the fare change would be impactful to many riders, the impacts would not be disproportionately borne by minority or low-income riders. If the revisions were not disproportionately adverse to minority or low-income populations, then there would be no need to do an extended public review.


Comments from Mike Wiley: 

Thank you for joining the chat today. The next session of Transit Talk with the General Manager is scheduled for Friday, March 4, 2016.