SacRT has made a number of mistakes or errors over the last year, and preceding years, which have created a less safe and less effective transit system. A list of some is below, but it is not comprehensive. The SacRT Board of Directors has gradually become more aware of these issues, but has not been well informed by staff.

Light Rail Modernization

• Low floor S700 LRVs with problematic deployable access ramps that discriminate against handicapped riders were purchased, though the public had requested level boarding, and SacRT continued to call it level boarding until late in the process
• Continuing S700 LRV issues, including incorrect announcements and displays at Gold Line 29th St and 39th St stations, nine months into rollout
• Platforms designed and constructed for S700 LRVs often were not ADA compliant, and required expensive corrective work
• Folsom service has never achieved the promised 15 minute weekday service because the passing track was insufficient; SacRT continued to call this “double-tracking to Folsom” even though they knew it was not

Service Issues

• Inability to keep Watt/I-80 station elevators in working order, over a period of many years
• Poor guidance, unsafe walking routes, and unsafe wait space for the west side buses while the Watt/I-80 station reconstruction is occurring. The GTFS file that SacRT and other apps use has not been updated to reflect current stops.

Administration

• SacRT continued to promote SmartRide even though they knew it was not sustainable; a replacement was not proposed until the last moment, and then rescinded; the Flex program is essentially what STAR had proposed months before
• SacRT made a major commitment to hydrogen buses and fueling for the northern area, without admitting to the public that the plan was to convert natural gas to grey hydrogen, which is likely worse environmentally than electric buses. The objective for hydrogen fuel cell buses, where they are needed, should be green hydrogen.
• Dos Rios station was canceled, and then re-authorized, which created trauma for the Mirasol Village transit community
• The General Manager reports at board meetings are largely useless, not providing information the board and public want, repeating information already available elsewhere, and serving as marketing promotion rather than information
• After promising quarterly updates on major projects, nothing has been offered

Fare Payment

• RydeFreeRT still does not have stable funding for last year or the coming year
• A large percentage of Connect Card readers at stations have been removed, or are non-functional, yet SacRT continues to promote that system; the ticket vending machines at stations have never been able to read Connect Cards, though SacRT continues to insist they do
• After promising that Tap2Ride readers were ready at light rail stations, SacRT later admitted that they were not, and would not be until fall or later
• Inability to settle on a fare payment system and/or apps that works consistently and does not change year-to-year.

• SacRT
• SacRT Governance