STAR does not have the resources (people) to keep up with all the happenings in transit, let alone the general transportation world. We have been working closely with SacTRU (transit riders union) and Ridership of the Masses (RFTM) in order to be more effective, and have submitted some joint letters and requests to SacRT. We have been actively participating in the SacMoves Coalition, and to a lesser degree in other efforts to develop transportation funding that really addresses the needs of transit agencies and riders.

STAR has not met in quite some while, and instead has carried on business via email. SacTRU continues to meet every month, alternating discussion of issues with presentations/discussions by SacRT staff or board members. They meet on second Saturdays, 1:00PM, via Zoom (at this time), and we invite you to participate in those meetings. Check their webpage for the Zoom link.

Once it becomes obvious what transportation funding will be on the ballot for November 2024, STAR will have an all-members meeting to determine our position. We have opposed previous measures because they offered too little for transit and included too much roadway capacity expansion. We have hope that the new measure, whether a citizen initiative or agency measure, will be significantly better. It may include transportation projects that specifically support infill housing. STAR may be able to use the Breathe California Sacramento conference room, with technology that allows successful hybrid meetings, for both in-person and online participation.

We have not been able to keep up with the other transit agencies in the region. If you live in one of those other areas, or use those other systems, and would like to track activity, express concerns, and/or help develop polices, please get in touch (sacramentotransitadvocates@gmail.com). Our focus on SacRT is not for lack of interest in the other systems, but many of us live within the service area and use SacRT, so it is easier to keep up with.

SacRT positives:

• the light rail modernization project is moving forward, with some new cars delivered and in testing, and many more on the way; platforms along the Gold Line are being modified for the new cars; however, see below about ADA access concerns
• SacRT board agendas finally include a document for the General Manager’s report, where previously this was only a verbal report
• MAC (SacRT Mobility Advisory Council) minutes are finally showing up on the SacRT website (https://www.sacrt.com/apps/sacramento-regional-transit-mobility-advisory-council/); though we would appreciate them being more timely
• AB-354 (Nguyen) to add a second board member for Elk Grove has passed the Assembly and is now in the Senate; STAR supports this; the other ideas for modifying board membership did not receive support by the board and are not in this legislation
• AB-1052 (McCarty) to allow SacRT to offer sales tax or property tax ballot measures that select portions of the district rather than the entire district, is in the Assembly for third reading; STAR supports this legislation; it is unlikely that SacRT would use this ability unless there is no transportation measure on the 2024 ballot

SacRT concerns:

• We have credible reports from users of mobility devices that the deployable ramps on the new light rail cars are too steep for many to use. If this is the case, the modernization project will be a failure in meeting ADA requirements. SacRT’s insistence on low floor but not level boarding, with 8 inch above rail platforms, may turn out to be a disaster. STAR has been expressing concern about this for more than a year, since SacRT staff finally admitted to board members and the public that these were low floor and not level boarding designs.
• SacRT continues to cancel about half the scheduled board meetings, reducing opportunity for the public to have input to management, operations and capital projects; this problem could be solved if board membership were not limited to elected officials who have scheduling conflicts that result is a lack of quorum (meeting cancellations do not include the reason, but we have been told that it is most often for projected lack of quorum)
• SacRT is adopting policy for light rail vehicle advertising wraps that will not allow for the huge visibility issues (views into and out of the rail cars) of many current wraps; however, there are a number of cars with wraps that are nearly 100% opaque, and these must be corrected by removal of the wrap from the window area
• SacRT is not providing the ridership information that advocates needed to determine trends and route concerns; SacRT ceased key performance reports in 2021; the quarterly reports (labeled ‘monthly ridership reports’, though they are quarterly) do not have enough information (http://www.sacrt.com/aboutrt/RTPerfReports.aspx)
• STAR has requested information on the equity value of bus routes, but this information has not been provided after many months
• SacRT continues to cancel bus runs without sufficient notification to riders; SacTRU, RFTM, and STAR have requested that all riders subject to a bus cancellation receive free fares for the remainder of their trip, but SacRT has not implemented this

The next SacRT board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 22. The agenda has not been posted yet (the law only requires 72 hour notice). We encourage all our members and transit supporters to attend board meetings in person or via Zoom. The more attention we are paying, the more likely the board and staff is to act transparently and to make good decisions.

• SacRT
• STAR