Elk Grove , CA:
Why are the destination signs on e Tran so confusing? Especially the 114 where the operator has to tell everyone where it’s going. Why can’t they be like SacRT busses which have only the terminus it’s heading to.
Also when will we get automatic stop announcements like SacRT busses
Reply: Thank you for the question. Regarding the destination signs on e-Tran, we understand that there may be confusion with some routes, particularly the 114. We’re currently reviewing how we can better align e-Tran’s signage system with SacRT’s approach, which focuses on clear terminus information. We’ll also look into whether additional operator instructions or sign adjustments could help reduce confusion.
Elk Grove , CA:
As a follow up question, can we please get 30min service on the 114 and 116 at the minimum? I know funding is tight but it’s been years now. Extra trips in morning and afternoon on other routes would be nice too.
Reply: We know that people are asking for additional trips/buses on many of our fixed routes, and unfortunately, it is a matter of funding. We are providing as much coverage as we can with the resources we have available. SacRT currently receives about one sixth of a penny in local sales tax. Many California Transit Agencies receive fives times that much in local support.
sacramento , CA:
No question, just wanted to thank you and everyone at SacRT for trying to provide good service even with severe underfunding.
Reply: Thank you! We appreciate the recognition--both of the good work that SacRT employees are doing every day and of the funding restrictions that we must work under. As you know, we receive one sixth of a penny in local sales tax support, a figure that is five times less than many of our west coast transit peers. Thank you for your support!
Elk Grove , CA:
One more question, why does the light rail wait up to 8mins (I timed it) at the switch before CRC?? I’ve almost missed my bus several times because of it
Reply: Hello we did have an isolated incident. SacRT's Wayside Team was making repairs to the switch at CRC so the trains were having to stop for personnel to clear and to obtain proper switch alignment.
However, we are also aware of the waiting times at the switch and are investigating why those delays occur. It could be due to operational requirements at the switch or scheduling adjustments. Rest assured, we'll examine this more closely to see if there's room for improvement to ensure smoother connections with buses.
Sacramento , CA:
Has SacRT asked other cities or even the county to fund ride for free ?
Reply: SacRT's FY25 RydeFreeRT program does include contributions from every City and Sacramento County. We are proud of the success of the program that has seen nearly 300% in student ridership since launching the program and we continue to look at ways to ensure the programs long term sustainability.
Sacramento, CA:
What does SacRT plan to do with money saved from cutting the SmaRT Ride program? I would personally like to see more late night service, as light rail often stops running before evening events are finished.
Reply: As you mention, SacRT's SmaRT Ride pilot program is transitioning to a more innovative and fiscally sound program focused on those who are transportation disadvantaged. More information at our October 10th Community Workshop: https://www.sacrt.com/visual-composer-13850/
As you may be aware, SacRT has been successful at navigating through the pandemic by being fiscally responsible with our federal COVID relief funds and other revenue sources. For example, since the pandemic, while most transit agencies have not restored service levels fully, SacRT has been able to maintain nearly 100 percent of pre-pandemic fixed-route service. And unlike many other agencies that had to use most of their federal COVID-19 relief funds for operations, depleting the funds early, SacRT was able to extend the use of relief funding and focus on long-delayed capital needs such as state of good repair projects.
More recently, SB125 provided another relief package for California transit agencies. As required by SB125 and the Sacramento Area Council of Governments (SACOG), who is responsible for allocating the SB125 funding, SacRT has developed a long-term action plan for strong fiscal sustainability, including optimizing business processes, maximizing efficiencies, reviewing less efficient ridership lines, and identifying opportunities for cost savings.
SmaRT Ride was implemented as a pilot program in 2018, with a one-time lump sum grant of $14 million from Measure A's Neighborhood Shuttle program. Unfortunately, the annual funding from the grant program is only $800,000, compared to annual operating costs of $8.4 million, and will only be available through the end of FY 2026. While we pride ourselves on being innovative, implementing new service options to better improve mobility, we must be good stewards of public funds. SmaRT Ride's operating cost is over $47 per passenger trip, almost five times more than SacRT's fixed-route bus system, while carrying less than 1% of overall system ridership.
Natomas, CA:
In regard to the SacRT pedestrian fatality, what has SacRT findings been as contributing factors to this incident? Are there front and driver facing cameras installed? How will SacRT move forward to prevent another fatality like this?
Reply: The incident is still under investigation, so we do not have answer about the cause. We have a variety of vehicles in our fleet. Most of them have forward facing cameras and some have driver facing cameras. SacRT has a robust training program in compliance with federal law. All new operators receive classroom and practical training before being put behind the wheel of a bus or train. Additionally, we provide continuing education/training to our existing employees in compliance with federal law.
Sacramento, CA:
Hello Henry, with school back in session, I have noticed some of your drivers are the most respectful and patient drivers one could ask for in our communities. However, there has also been a spurt of drivers who have been acting unprofessional and will intentionally take off hard from bus stops when children and elderly are still boarding and making their way to their seats as if it's a game to try and hurt passengers. Specifically referencing Route 11. Does the transit line conduct driver conduct reviews to ensure drivers are acting in the public's best interest?
Reply: Thank you for your feedback. We're pleased to hear that many of our drivers have been respectful and patient, especially during the busy back-to-school season.
Safety and professionalism are top priorities for us, and we do not tolerate behavior that could put our passengers at risk, especially the elderly and children.
We do conduct regular driver performance reviews, and your observations will help us address this issue promptly. We will ensure that the drivers on this route are reminded of our safety protocols, and we will follow up with additional monitoring and training as needed.
Folsom, CA:
How is the passing track construction going? Does Regional Transit seem to be closer to having a clear opening date and change of the Gold Line timetable to reflect the new 15-minute weekday frequency? Thank you.
Reply: Thank you for the question. The construction is progressing and the contractor is set to reopen Glenn Drive on October 20th. We expect major construction to be complete in early November. We will need to go through testing and certification after that, and this will push opening of 15 minute service to Folsom to late November.
Folsom, CA:
I’m a longtime Sacramento Kings season ticket holder and am looking forward to riding the gold line in the coming season that starts later this month. My question is whether I will be able to utilize the City Parking Garage in the Historic District come opening night against the Timberwolves on October 24th and board the train at Historic Downtown Folsom? While Iron Point does offer surface parking, it does not offer a sufficient amount of parking spaces and no cover for vehicles on game days/nights whenever the weather becomes too inclement with heavy rain and wind. Thank you.
Reply: We are getting VERY close to finishing the passing track project in Folsom that will allow for 15 minute train service all the way to the Historic Folsom Station. We should be done with construction in Early November, and then we need to go through a rigorous testing protocol, so it is looking like late November before the fifteen minute service will go all the way to Historic Folsom.
Rancho Cordova, CA:
What is happening with replacing Connect Card devices at light rail stations? Zinfandel is a good example of not having working devices in the station. Has replacement become too expensive? If so, has installation inside the trains been considered to help alleviate the vandalism occurring at the stations or just going to another type of electronic fare payment system altogether?
Reply: We are in the RFP process of replacing all the Connect Card readers with new hardware that will provide additional payment options as part of our bigger tap-to-ride and consolidated mobile app program. The current hardware is obsolete and therefore difficult to repair and replace.
Sacramento, CA:
Has regional transit been contacted recently by Sacramento State in regards to traffic mitigation and service in and around the vicinity of the Hornet Stadium? Folks like myself have seen in the news that Hornet Stadium and its temporary bleacher type seating will be coming down at the end of the current football season and a new stadium will be built with a minimum of 25,000 seating capacity, including suites, and a major upgrade to the press box. Will Regional Transit be ready for a major increase in service when the university anticipates the stadium opening for the first football game of their 2028 season, regardless of what conference Sacramento State ends up a member of?
Reply: We are in frequent communication with Sac State about our service there, and while there are no plans for certain yet, we will consider the new stadium and its somewhat larger capacity in those ongoing discussions.
Sacramento, CA:
How is the branding process going? It feels like the new trains are a little on the plain side compared to the older cars.
Reply: Thank you for asking about the train designs. We do have a wrap concept; however, there is a cost associated with printing and installation. Once we have identified funding, we will add the design.
Sacramento, CA:
What is the current projection on when train service to Historic Folsom will reopen? Your opening remarks and sacrt.com/Folsom15 indicate that bus bridges will continue "through October".
Reply: Construction should wrap up in early November and we have to conduct a rigorous testing protocol after that. We should be in full operation by late November.
West sacramento, CA:
Hey nester henri li.
Just curious, what’s the cost of operating SacRT go Paratransit services in comparison to smart ride transit services?
Thanks,
A smart ride frequent user
Reply: SacRT' ADA paratransit service, SacRT GO is mandated by the federal government by the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is a required service borne out of our fixed route bus and light rail service lines and rides can traverse across all of SacRT's service area, not just within a zone. The current cost of SacRT GO is approximately $63 per passenger. this cost is in line with or lower than industry average cost.
Florin , CA:
Is it feasible to get bus service reasonably close to the Siemens factory since there’s several thousand workers? The 68 isn’t that close.
Reply: We have looked several times at bus service to French Road and the nearby area, near the Siemens factory. It is not currently in our Short Range Transit Plan, which means it has not been identified as a high priority. Even projects that are in our SRTP are not being advanced right now, because SacRT is currently focusing on deficit reduction. However, in our Bus Stop Improvement Plan, we have identified a need for bus stops in that area, so that the infrastructure is ready for future bus service. With more local revenue, we would be in a better position to consider expanding service.
Folsom, CA:
When the 15 minute schedule starts for Folsom trains, will the inbound Folsom trains still need to stop in front of Becks furniture till the outbound train passes?
Reply: No, the double tracking will eliminate that need.
Roseville, CA:
Do you know if you can team up with the city of Roseville to have ride free for even Roseville transit and their k-12 schools?
Reply: We are strong believers of our youth ride free program, However, this would be a question for Roseville Transit.
Sacramento, CA:
I know that RT is underfunded at the local level-will there a be a ballot measure in the near future to increase funding for RT? Is there any way other than a ballot measure to increase funding for RT?
Reply: There are ongoing discussions among several different organizations to place a measure on the ballot in 2026. It is not yet clear which organization will bring it to the ballot, or what specifically it will include.
Sacramento, CA:
Can you possibly transplant the horns and bells of your inactive trains sitting there in the yard on academy way into the new s700s to make the bells on them quieter and their horns louder?
Reply: It is not feasible to install the old equipment on our new trains, but we can take a look at adjusting the volume to accommodate safety and the neighborhoods our light rail system passes through.
