Rio Metro Regional Transit District

The agenda for the meeting includes the approval of the budget and capital plan for FY2027-2031, the approval of the FY2027 budget, and the approval of the open meetings resolution and fiscal year 2027 meeting schedule. Additionally, the agenda covers the appointment of an Executive Director and a discussion regarding the Memorandum of Agreement with the New Mexico Department of Transportation.

The board meeting agenda includes the consideration and approval of the New Mexico Rail Runner Express Drug and Alcohol Policy. Additionally, the meeting will feature several informational updates, including a transit service update, a transit plan update, a Rail Runner status report, and an operation and maintenance facility update. The session will conclude with the RMRTD Director's Report.

This document provides an update on the Transit Consolidation Study for Rio Metro and ABQ RIDE. It explores various governance and operational scenarios, ranging from maintaining the status quo to full consolidation, and outlines recommendations for both agencies. Key focus areas include enhancing organizational autonomy for ABQ RIDE, strengthening leadership and governance for Rio Metro, and integrating regional demand response and transit planning services, with proposed implementation through three distinct phases.

This document details the identification and assessment of alternative alignments for a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) route within the UNM/CNM/Sunport corridor in southeast Albuquerque. Its primary focus was to evaluate transit solutions, define a preferred transit investment and parking strategy, and integrate pedestrian, bicycle, and land use considerations into the proposed system. The study culminates in the recommendation of Alternative 3 as the Locally Preferred Alternative, outlining its operational characteristics, projected daily ridership of approximately 17,300 trips, and estimated implementation and annual operating costs of $65 million and $3.4 million, respectively, to guide future project development.

This study evaluates the potential benefits of consolidating ABQ RIDE and Rio Metro to achieve quality, sustainable transit operations in the region. It concludes that full consolidation is not currently recommended due to distinct market services and funding complexities. Instead, the study proposes four primary recommendations aimed at strengthening transit services: restructuring ABQ RIDE's relationship with the City for greater autonomy, creating an integrated regional demand response network, formalizing regional network planning and passenger information with additional planners, and enhancing Rio Metro's leadership structure by hiring a General Manager and forming a dedicated board committee. These recommendations are designed to address staffing shortages, improve efficiency, and foster a more unified and accessible regional transit system.