STAR just recently became aware of the SacRT Service Standards document, updated August 2013. An updated document, or a similar one, will be included as part of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) program.
The document largely addresses requirements established by the FTA (Federal Transit Administration) and by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The FTA requires four service standards and two service policies:
- Transit Amenity Distribution Policy
- Vehicle Loading Standards
- Productivity Standards (Headway Standard)
- On-Time Performance Standards
- Service Area Coverage Standards
- Vehicle Assignment Policy
SacRT is not required to but does include low-income as a category of analysis. The SACOG Environmental Justice Areas map (low-income/high-minority LIHM) may provide an appropriate dataset for use in the update. These are similar to but not identical to SB 535 Disadvantaged Communities (DAC) and OEHHA EnviroScreen 4.
It is not clear that all the reports enumerated in this document are actually being completed – few are available on the website. There are also a number of outdated reference in the document, to services that no longer exist, and new services that now exist.
There are no criteria in this document for three key measurements which are critical to service and ridership:
- population density
- employment density
- regionally important destinations, such as higher education, hospitals and other medical services, major shopping areas, and parks/recreational centers
STAR hopes to see these additional criteria added. We are participating in the COA process for this and many other reasons.
Sacramento Transit Advocates and Riders (STAR) 