At the June 9, 2025 SacRT Board of Directors, item 2.2 on the consent agenda was ‘Delegating Authority to the General Manager/CEO to Modify, Amend or Otherwise Revise All Sacramento Regional Transit District Administrative Code Sections, Board Adopted Policies, Standard Operating Procedures and/or All Practices that Conflict with Presidential Executive Order 14173 to Ensure Compliance with the FTA Master Grant Agreement‘.
STAR had not noticed or understood the importance of this item. Fortunately, a number of transit and equity advocates did realize, and commented to the board. As a result, Roger Dickinson asked that the item be removed from consent and tabled, pending an executive session on the item. Dickinson recognized that there were significant legal implications and risk to passing this resolution. STAR thanks each of these people.
So what is Executive Order 14173? It is Trump’s ‘Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity‘. It is Trump’s attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). This is Brave New World doublespeak for allowing discrimination in all federal actions. In the case of a transit agency, it is an attempt to prevent language or actions that serve underserved populations. It could threaten SacRT Flex. It could threaten RydeFreeRT. It could end any attempt to provide enhanced service to low-income and high-minority populations in the service area. It could end any consideration of the population characteristics of actual or potential riders.
Some of the advocates commented that some transit agencies had sued the federal government over Federal Transit Administration (FTA) actions, and that there was an injunction against enforcement for those agencies. STAR has been unable to confirm this, but will continue to search for information.
STAR does not know what the outcome of this issue will be, but will keep our readers informed.
Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders (STAR) 