Priya Bhat-Patel

The board meeting included a safety brief and evacuation procedure review. A key agenda item was the presentation of a newly developed transit operations performance report dashboard, which aims to provide accessible and transparent operational performance metrics to the public and board members, replacing manual reporting processes. The dashboard includes historical trends, on-time performance tracking, and granular data for various transit modes.

The committee reviewed the draft proposed operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year and the five-year capital improvement program. Key discussion topics included the fiscal challenges posed by inflation, rising fuel costs, and unfunded federal and state mandates. The committee addressed the status of the NCTD Plus service areas, emphasizing that further expansions are contingent upon securing grant funding. Additionally, the committee discussed the necessity of prioritizing routes and preparing for potential service reductions or eliminations due to projected long-term budget deficits.

The committee meeting agenda includes an update on the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 Operating and Capital Budget, covering revenue and expenditure forecasts, capital improvement plans, and long-term obligations. Additionally, the committee will review the proposed Cost Recovery Fee Schedule for Fiscal Year 2027 and initiate discussions regarding the feasibility of implementing a low-income fare program based on an analysis of current fare categories and passenger demographics.

The board discussed and took action on several legislative and operational items, including a detailed presentation on Senate Bill 79 and subsequent opposition strategy. The board also approved the final Climate Adaptation and Infrastructure Resiliency Plan and received an update regarding the insourcing of bus and maintenance operations. Additionally, the board received monthly reports on intergovernmental affairs, transit operations performance, and various committee activities, and adopted several resolutions concerning certification forms, mutual aid agreements, and task orders for engineering and infrastructure projects.

The board discussed several items including the receipt of monthly performance and intergovernmental affairs reports, approval of an amendment for financial audit services, and the authorization of software services for paratransit. Other topics included the purchase of non-revenue support vehicles, awarding of various agreements for bus and engine parts, setting future public hearings for the operating budget and capital improvement program, and receiving updates on transit operations and LOSSAN rail corridor reports. The board also held a closed session regarding existing and anticipated litigation and deliberated on a fare change proposal recommendation to SANDAG, ultimately advocating for a study of a low-income fare program.