Antelope, CA:
Hey Henri li. Any chance SacRT flex will run on saturdays? I dint care if it doesn’t run on sundays. Some ideas I have on operating hours include 9-3 or 10-2. Take placer county transit for instance. They operate from 6-9 Monday through Friday but only 8-5 on Saturdays with no Sunday service.
Reply: We recently received funding to expand our SacRT Flex service. The program has been awarded $3,759,291 to support service implementation and operations from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029. The service will be delivered in partnership with Nomad Transit, LLC (a subsidiary of Via Transportation), pending contract execution.
We anticipate details on possible weekend expansion soon. Learn more at sacrt.com/AccessForAll.
Folsom, CA:
Will SacRT better adjust the bus route 21 trips leaving from Mather Field/Mills to accommodate light rail riders from Folsom for example?
Reply: Thank you for being a rider of our system. The Mather Field/Mills Station is a major transit center with many riders connecting from bus to rail and vice versa. We always strive to align our schedule to ensure that riders have the most seamless connections amongst modes.
I will ask our Scheduling and Planning departments to look into the timing of the route and to see if any schedule adjustments may be needed to ensure better transfers from bus route 21 to the Gold Line.
Rocklin, CA:
Why hasn’t RT proposed extending Light Rail to Roseville, Lincoln and Rocklin? This represents more commuters than Folsom or Elk Grove and could include Light Rail to Citrus Heights.
Reply: SacRT is updating our Long-Range Transit Plan (LRTP), and we are looking at expansions towards Lincoln, El Dorado, and Elk Grove. Each of these extensions has a cost and ridership potential. During the LRTP process, SacRT is analyzing each potential project with objective scoring criteria, and we will prioritize projects that have the highest benefit for the lowest cost. A light rail extension to Roseville will be included in this prioritized list with an accompanying composite score. Learn more at sacrt.com/SacRT2050.
Rocklin, CA:
You’ve been at RT just over a decade. What is you beg new goal to improve the system?
Reply: Thank you. When I joined in 2016, the agency was facing a fiscal crisis. I am proud during my tenure that we have been able to see a financial turnaround, implemented new service and improved our state of good repair. Just a few year ago, we had no money to replace our aging fleet of light rail vehicles. Today, we have secured enough money to order 63 new low floor light rail vehicles.
We have several big initiatives underway, and in planning but all of them are contingent upon funding from external sources, state and federal grants.
We are nearing completion of the Light Rail Modernization program. By the end of 2027, we hope to have all new trains operating on both the Gold and Blue lines.
We are considering where and when we can expand our light rail system to improve regional mobility. The possibilities include extending to Elk Grove, Roseville, or the Airport.
Preliminarily, we may want to begin those new services with Bus Rapid Transit, a much less expensive alternative, than can be converted to rail service when more finding is available.
We continue to improve the way people pay to ride our service, and will be part of a regional collaboration, so it is a seamless fare experience using several different public transit systems.
And we continue to improve the safety and security of our system hiring more transit ambassadors, installing more cameras and working even more closely with law enforcement agencies to keep our system as safe as possible.
While we have come a long way, we still have much to do. Nationwide, transit agencies are facing a fiscal cliff as they recover from the pandemic. While SacRT is in a better position than many of our peers, there is a need to identify local funding to ensure our system preservation. SacRT receives 1/5th of a penny in local sales tax, approximately five times less than many of our California transit peers. With additional funding we could provide better service to the Sacramento region.
Sacramento, CA:
When Mattos was there RT was buying bio fuel for buses and earning carbon credits of over a million dollars a year. Is that initiative still continuing?
Reply: SacRT has been able to claim the federal Alternative Fuel Excise Tax Credit on the CNG fueling for $.50 a gallon. We are hoping this tax credit will be extended by the federal government.
Sacramento, CA:
Some of the Blue Line light rail vehicles still have the decals telling people to download the "new" ZipPass app. When will those be removed? Will you place new decals with the new Transit Connect app info? It would be convenient and user friendly if you could include QR codes that link to the app for Android/iOS. Thank you.
Reply: The ZipPass app is still available for riders that have passes loaded until June 15, 2026. We have new Transit Connect decals available and light rail teams should be making the transition. If you see any old information on trains or at stations, you can always report on the Alert SacRT App, so a team member can address it right away.
Sacramento, CA:
Hello, for golden 1 center events, do you run extra trains and do they run more frequently than 15 mins? Thanks
Reply: Thank you for the question. We do our best to serve events at the Golden 1 Center. As you know, many of the events get out late in the evening when we operate 30 minute frequency on our light rail lines. We do stage trains nearby so that we can have more frequent trains to transport attendees when games and concerts get out. If we did have additional funding, we could look at more improved event service or late night frequency.
Carmichael, CA:
Hello I was wondering if SacRT light rail ridership gotten back to pre-covid levels?
Reply: Thank you for the question. SacRT's fixed route bus and ADA paratransit service are both over 100% recovered, with more than 11 million rides annually. Light Rail currently lags behind in recovery, at approximately 73% pre-pandemic levels. We are working to increase ridership, including fostering transit oriented development and working with the state on an employee pass program. Even so, light rail carried over 8 million riders last year.
Folsom, CA:
Can the unused or underused railroads become apart of SacRT? The railroad in old town sac along the river and the one from the Folsom Lake College to the Gold Line should be used.
Reply: SacRT was able to expand our Gold Line by participating in the Sacramento-Placerville Transportation Corridor Joint Powers Authority (SPTC-JPA) by acquiring the Southern Pacific Transportation Company's (SP's) Placerville Branch railroad. There are always possibilities for future expansions. https://sptc-jpa.org/about-the-jpa.html
Sacramento, CA:
Is Connect Card still being phased out? I am not a state worker and I don't have an employer subsidized monthly pass or anything but I typically use Connect Card anyway so I don't have to worry about if my phone dies or has any issues while I'm out using bus/light rail. There are plenty of designs for smart fare card readers out there that are hard to vandalize.
Reply: Just like the Connect Card system, the new Transit Connect app will expand to include SacRT’s transit partners throughout the region. Full integration is expected by fall 2026, creating a seamless fare payment experience across multiple transit providers in a single app.
State workers and other subsidized Connect Card pass holders are expected to transition to Transit Connect as part of Phase 2 sometime in fall 2026. The transition will function like the ZipPass transition and SacRT will give customers a limited time to use up stored funds. Connect Card users with stored funds are encouraged to start using their remaining balances now.
Rancho Cordova, CA:
Can the light rail and buses be given the ability to change traffic lights to green? Slow transit times are part of why people don't really use public transit.
Reply: We are working on this issue and hope to implement traffic signal priority on some corridors. In recent years we have secured funding for Transit Signal Priority through the Affordable Housing and Sustainable Communities grant program and were just awarded that contract. We do not have timelines for this year and we are considering which corridors make the most sense, but yes, this is on our radar as a way to improve our on-time reliability.
Elk Grove, CA:
Sac Sewer is planning a lot of infrastructure updates; can SacRT tag along and install protected bike lanes or dedicated bus lanes on the roads where construction will be done? This was done in Elk Grove on Franklin Rd and a lot of people like the protected bike lane.
Reply: Thank you for brainstorming how we can improve the system. Those projects would need to be installed in city right of way. We can reach out to Sac Sewer and see what projects they are planning.
Sacramento, CA:
When is SacRT and its contractors expected to work on the platform modifications for the 8th and O Streets Station? Specifically, this is the one that a state building was under re-construction, and at the time the opposite 8th and O Streets Station was worked on, this one would’ve otherwise interfered with the contractors working on the reconstruction of the state building. Thank you.
Reply: We anticipate making platform modifications to the 8th & 0 Station in July.
South Sacramento, CA:
I live in the unincorporated area of South Sacramento. I am curious to see how progress is going on the signature gathering campaign for a potential citywide ballot measure that includes transit funding. I am a big fan of this, and had I lived within city boundaries, this would be something that I would definitely vote in favor of.
Reply: SacRT is not part of the signature campaign, and our only legal role is to provide information about how the revenue from a funding measure might be spent. With that said, you can contact Sacramento Metro Advocates for Rail and Transit (SMART) about the campaign at www.sactosmart.org.
Downtown Sacramento, CA:
In terms of the Green Line suspension, does this have to wait until the stadium and the entertainment center open in 2028, or can the green line open much sooner and without regard to the construction of the adjacent stadium or entertainment facility? Lastly, once the Green Line does reopen, will Wilton Rancheria pay for a portion or all of the operating cost of the line going forward?
Reply: We are anticipating the new 7th & Railyards station will be complete later this summer. Additional work continues on the street work and surrounding area. The completion of that work, will dictate when the Green Line will reopen. Stay tuned.
Citrus Heights, CA:
In Citrus Heights, we don’t have any coverage along Sylvan Road between the intersection of San Juan and Greenback to the Sylvan Corners intersection, where it then becomes Auburn Boulevard - traveling towards the Placer-Sacramento County boundary. Are any of your planning studies considering bus service along Sylvan in Citrus Hrights?
Reply: We are conducting a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) right now, looking at where we might be able to expand our service. Citrus Heights areas are part of that study and we know there are gaps in our service there. Unfortunately, expansion of service comes at a cost, and we would either need additional new revenue, or to reduce service somewhere else to pay for expansions in that area. We await the results of the COA to tell us more about where and how we can serve the most riders without increasing overall costs.
With the Sunrise Tomorrow project and the new proposed Metal shop, there may be additional opportunities to increase service within Citrus Heights. Learn more about our project at sacrt.com/SacRT2050.
Sacramento, CA:
The Transit Connect app is nice, however there are a few advantages Zip Pass had in comparison. The main ones are that with Transit Connect you have to "apply" a discount in order to see the discount fares available to purchase. I do not agree that disabled riders, seniors, and other riders that are eligible for discounts should have to "apply" a discount in the app in order to see them available for purchase.
You also can't buy Unitrans tickets in Transit Connect, but you can with Zip Pass.
Lastly, the help text (the message that pops up when you tap on the "i" next to the fare type) in the Transit Connect app isn't as helpful compared to the help text in Zip Pass. For example, I would expect the help text next to the Daily Pass option to mention what agencies the daily pass is valid on. That has always been a major source of confusion for me personally when deciding whether to buy a daily pass, or buy individual fares.
I am also wondering what the plan for Connect Card is and whether there is any plan to transfer cash value loaded onto a Connect Card or Zip Pass to Transit Connect, or at least to allow riders to "cash out" their loaded value somehow.
Reply: Thank you for your feedback on the Transit Connect app. We will take your recommendations into consideration as the app and accompanying back-office system are still being fully implemented. Expect to continue to see changes and further upgrades coming in the near future.
In April, the SacRT Board voted to approve the addition of Unitrans in the Transit Connect application. Staff is actively working with Unitrans to update the application and Unitrans fare media will be made available to the public in the near future.
SacRT is currently in the beginning of phase 2 of the transition to Transit Connect. This includes integrations that will allow smart cards to be used on Transit Connect in addition to the mobile application. Once the integration work is complete, staff will begin announcing plans to transition customers from Connect Card to Transit Connect. As happened with ZipPass, SacRT will provide customers with sufficient time to use up remaining cash value on Connect Cards prior to discontinuing the system all together. Contingency plans for those who may not use up all of their fare will also be put in place at the appropriate time.
Arden/Arcade, CA:
With regards to the “TransitConnect” App, will other transit agencies besides YoloBus be welcomed onto the app platform this Summer? In particular, along with Regional Transit, I ride Roseville and Placer Transit, but they are very strict towards how someone pays as they currently only accept cash or connect card only. They don’t even accept or allow open payments with VISA or MasterCard like your buses do. Thank you for being the most helpful and flexible in the region with regards to how to pay fare, while most others currently are not. That’s where I hope that change can occur this summer. Thank you.
Reply: Yolobus is already on the Transit Connect app. We will be expanding to the other regional partners this fall.
Pocket Area, CA:
I have read that work at Florin and Meadowview are happening here in May. What will most likely be next as far as station platform changes are concerned, once Florin and Meadowview are completed over the Memorial Day Holiday Weekend?
Reply: We are excited to upgrade the remaining platforms on the Blue Line. While the schedule is still tentative, the next stations in June/July are tentatively 8th & O, Broadway, 4th Ave/Wayne Hultgren, and City College stations. Stay updated on the schedule at sacrt.com/BlueLine.
Rancho Cordova, CA:
While you have mentioned quite often the Comprehensive Operational Analysis in past monthly chats, I would like to get a sense of how it is going as we begin May, and what near term service changes are you exploring and/or are hopeful to implement in calendar years 2027 and 2028 too? I am in Rancho Cordova, but have a curiosity about this throughout the systemwide service coverage are - not exclusively in Rancho Cordova. Thank you.
Reply: It would be too early to say at this point. We are currently targeting a July release of the Short Range Transit Plan to the public. We would then be seeking Board approval later this summer/fall. Please stay engaged!
CA:
When will lightrail be extended to the airport
Reply: This is a long-term project, with a cost estimated at approximately $2 billion and it is contingent on the City of Sacramento building a new bridge across the American River. We are just begining to study the possibility of using the same right of way, and station locations for a bus rapid transit extension to the airport. It would be much less expensive, and could get across the river on the I-5 Bridge and it would be built to accomodate switching to light rail in the future when more fiunding is available.
Sacramento, CA:
Hi, I was wondering, in the future with the old light rail cars are fully retired, will sacrt raise the whole entire platform so you can run longer trains? and will you raise them a little more so its completely flush with the trains, or will there always be a little step up. Thanks
Reply: We are excited to transition to an entirely low-floor fleet of vehicles very soon. We are focused on that implementation, while a later faze would explore level boarding on our system.
Sacramento, CA:
When will Blue Line get the new trains?
Reply: We need to complete the station platform modifications on all the Blue Line stations, which is expected to take until the end of 2027. Once the stations are all ready, we can begin service with the new low-floor trains on the Blue Line.
Sacramento, CA:
With Sac Republic Stadium moving forward. There has been little information on the new rail yards station. Will this station be a one platform for or 2 platform stations to accommodate the high numbers of possible passengers that may take light rail to the future stadium.
Reply: The new 7th & Railyards Station will be complete later this summer. We will work with the Sac Republic Team on transit options as they get closer to the new stadium opening.
Sacramento, CA:
Many peer transit agencies offer a 3 day pass, a 7 day pass, and their semimonthly passes aren't tied to days of the month but they are valid for 14 or 15 days regardless of when in the month you buy the fare. This is an advantage for people that are here for multiple days but not long enough to justify buying a monthly pass (tourists, short term work assignments, etc.). With the transition to Transit Connect is it possible for RT to offer a more flexible version of the semimonthly pass, as well as a 3 day pass and a 7 day pass?
Reply: At this time SacRT is focused on transitioning passengers to Transit Connect from our other fare systems rather than making adjustments and/or changes to the fare structure itself. Once the transition is complete, staff may consider more creative modifications to the fare structure that the Transit Connect fare system is capable of providing.
Elk Grove, CA:
There are multiple apps for SacRT can they be combined into 1 app?
Reply: The new Transit Connect App will become the all-in-one app for SacRT and the fare app for all transit providers in the region. We hope to have the all-in-one app option available by early 2027.