Transit in California: Challenges and Opportunities

Transit 101 Legislative Briefing March 19, 2013

Transit in California: Challenges and Opportunities

Paul Jablonski CEO, San Diego Metropolitan Transit System

Chair, California Transit Association Executive Committee

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California is a leading Transit State

• More rail systems than any other state

• California systems carry more passengers than any other state except New York

• California companies produce rail cars and buses that support transit systems nationwide

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Transit in California is Growing

• In 2010-11, transit operators in California supplied 1.35 billion unlinked passenger trips

• California transit operators carried 22% more passengers in 2010-11 than in 1994-95; in 2007-08, 34% more than in 1994-95

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200,000

400,000

600,000

800,000

1,000,000

1,200,000

1,400,000

1,600,000

1996-971997-981998-971999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

California Transit Passenger Trips (1996-2011)

Motor Bus Rail, Street Car, and Trolley Demand Response and Other

What is transit?

• Public transportation in California includes all multiple-occupancy vehicle services designed to transport customers on local and regional routes.

• These services include:

– private and public buses

– rail

– ferryboats

– Amtrak, intercity bus, and taxi services operated under contract

– any vanpool service

– services for senior citizens and disabled

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Public Transit Gives People Alternatives to the Popular Car

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California: 1.48 billion passenger trips (2007-08)

Who provides transit in CA?

• Cities

– Example: Santa Monica’s Big Blue Bus

• Counties

– Example: Placer County Transit

• Joint Powers Authorities

– Example: Mendocino Transit Authority

• Special Districts

– Example: Sacramento Regional Transit District 9

Distribution of California Transit Key Assets by Mode (2009)

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Mode Revenue Vehicles Stations Maintenance Facilities Track Miles Cross Traffic

Crossings Urban and Rural Urban Only

Demand Response 5,159 0 105 0 0

Municipal Bus 11,400 154 152 0 0

Cable Car 47 0 1 9 0

Commuter Rail 427 105 4 981 609

Heavy Rail 773 59 6 302 0

Light Rail 541 239 11 499 475

Ferry Boat 16 11 3 0 0

Van Pool 1,448 0 2 0 0

Total 19,811 568 284 1,791 1,084

How does transit operate?

• Form of organization like a corporation – Transit governing board sets policy

• Board members usually from or appointed by cities & counties – BART & AC Transit boards directly elected

– Transit CEO and staff oversee and provide service • Staff (size & responsibility vary by system size/type)

– Planning – Operations – Marketing – Maintenance – Customer service – Finance

• Some agencies contract out all/ part of their service

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State · Regional · Local Partnerships

Transit does not operate in a vacuum • Transit systems are interconnected with local,

regional and state government

• There are usually multi-layered relationships between labor and management

• Multi-faceted relationships with communities

– Community outreach

• Planning based on quality metrics and data

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State · Regional · Local Partnerships

• Planning partnerships + Funding partnerships – Regional Transportation Planning Agencies (RTPAs)

– Councils of Governments/ Associations of Governments (COGs)

– Local County Transportation Commissions (LCTCs)

– Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs)

• State partnerships – Intercity Rail (Caltrans/ Amtrak)

– High-Speed Rail Authority

– Caltrans (grants, guidelines)

– California Transportation Commission (grants, guidelines)

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Where is transit going next?

Opportunities

Challenges

Partnering with You: the Legislature

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Opportunities: Meeting Mobility and Economic Needs

High gas prices = Increased transit demand

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Opportunities: Connecting Us

Improved technology = Better accessibility for riders

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Opportunities: Innovative Transit

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Opportunities: Making California Cleaner

California’s transit systems lead the nation in:

• Alternative Fuels

• Clean Vehicles

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Opportunities: Moving the State Forward

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State Policy Priorities = Better Mobility/ Reduce GHGEs

Transit Challenges

• Funding – Using available resources to meet demand

– Maintaining quality current/core service

– Adding service

– Maintaining facilities/buses/train cars

• Land use – Route planning

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Transit Challenges

• Public perception – Transit not just for elderly, low income – From 2000 -2009, the number of transit

commuters increased by 18 percent nationwide

• Cross-cutting State & Federal Regs – Example: Bus Weights

• CNG buses are heavier than diesel buses

• Federal Americans with Disabilities Act requires wheelchair ramps, additional equipment, adding weight to buses

– Example: Bike Racks

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Meeting New Expectations: California Trends

• Demographic change and population growth in California correlates to more demand for public transit

• People under the driving age, and people over 65, will increase demand for cost-effective alternatives to driving

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Meeting New Expectations: SB 375

• Goal: Reduce GHGEs through Transportation + Land use

• Transit helps reduce GHGs

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Outcomes: • Continued and expanded

transit cooperation & coordination with local and regional entities

• Increased transit demand

San Diego

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Los Angeles

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Southern California Association of Governments

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Southern California Association of Governments

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Southern California Association of Governments

Sacramento • Transit expansion maps from SACOG

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San Francisco Bay Area • Region’s expansion program totals

$18 Billion for 20 projects

• Over 85% of funding is local/state

• 2 New Starts projects – SF Central Subway, BART to Berryessa

• 2 Small Starts candidates – Van Ness BRT, East Bay BRT

• Next generation rail investments (New Starts)

– SF Transbay Transit Center/DTX, BART to San Jose Phase 2

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M E T R O P O L I T A N T R A N S P O R T A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N

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MTC Resolution 3434 Project Status: Roughly Half of Projects Open or in Construction

M E T R O P O L I T A N T R A N S P O R T A T I O N C O M M I S S I O N 36

Project

Project Cost

(YOE $) StatusCaltrain Express: Baby Bullet 128 OpenRegional Express Bus 102 OpenBART to Warm Springs 890 ConstructionEast Contra Costa BART Extension (eBART) 462 ConstructionTransbay Transit Center: Phase 1 1,589 ConstructionBART/Oakland Airport Connector 484 ConstructionSonoma-Marin Rail IOS 360 ConstructionExpanded Ferry Service to South San Francisco (Berkeley, Alameda/Oakland/Harbor Bay, Hercules, and Richmond; and other improvements) 180 ConstructionMUNI Third Street Light Rail Transit Project - Central Subway 1,578 ConstructionBART: Warm Springs to Berryessa 2,330 ConstructionDowntown to East Valley: Light Rail & Bus Rapid Transit Phases 1 & 2 559 Approved EnvBART: Berryessa to San Jose/Santa Clara 3,962 Approved EnvTransbay Transit Center/Caltrain Downtown Extension: Phase 2 2,596 Approved EnvAC Transit Berkeley/Oakland/San Leandro Bus Rapid Transit 205 Approved EnvCaltrain Electrification 785 EnvVan Ness Avenue Bus Rapid Transit 125 EnvTri-Valley Transit Access Improvements to/from BART 168 EnvAC Transit Enhanced Bus: Grand-MacArthur corridor 41 EnvCaltrain Express: Phase 2 427 EnvDumbarton Rail 701 EnvCapitol Corridor: Phase 2 Enhancements 254 EnvACE ROW Acquisition for Service Expansion 150 TBDTOTAL $ 18,076

Why transit…?

• A Desire for Change

• A Need for Change

• Movement for Change

• Return on Investment

• Hidden Savings

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A Desire for Change

• Transit ridership last year highest since WW II

• Average household spends almost 20 percent of its money on transportation – 94 percent of that on their automobile

• A household in which one adults uses public transportation reduces its yearly expense by at least $6,250 to $10,000 in California

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A Need for Change • Households near public transit drive an

average of 4,400 fewer miles a year, helping the U.S. save 4.2 billion gallons of fuel

• Demand for housing within walking distance of transit will double by 2025

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“Our members don’t just sell homes, they sell neighborhoods,” National Association of Realtors

President Ron Phipps said in a statement. “REALTORS® understand that different home buyers are looking for

all kinds of neighborhood settings and that many home buyers want walkable, transit-accessible communities.”

Movement for Change

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Hidden Savings

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• Congestion delays cost $78.2 billion • If no public transit, add $10.2 billion more

Return on Investment

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$2,075,874 Capital Expenditures

49,824 Jobs

295,282 Jobs Created/ Supported

$7,201,768 Operating Expenditures

A Popular Investment

• 79% of voter initiatives for transit investment approved in 2012

• When asked what would solve traffic problems in their community, 42% of Americans say more transit. (Sept. 2012 poll)

– Only 20% say more roads

– And 21% would like to see communities developed that don’t require so much driving

– Two-thirds support local planning that guides new development into existing cities and near public transportation

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Transit is Not Discretionary – It is Essential • Mobility

• Air Quality

• Jobs

• Transit must be part of the AB 32/SB 375 solution

• Provides opportunities for all walks of life/all ages

• An integral piece of California’s future

Investment in Transit means an investment in all of the above

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Partnering with Transit Leads to...

• A robust statewide, interconnected transit system

• Increased service and accessibility

• Safe, Clean alternatives to the car

• Achieving state policy goals

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Thank you!

Transit 101 Legislative Briefing March 19, 2013