Aug 22, 2024 Mobility Committee

THAT MOVES US TO OUR APPROVAL OF MINUTES.

UM, THIS IS HAYDEN BLACK WALKER.

I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THAT, UM, THE LOCAL CHAPTER OF THE CONGRESSMAN, NEW URBANISM IS HOSTING WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING.

UM, WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING, IS NOW A, A NATIONAL EVENT, UM, COORDINATED THROUGH AMERICA WALK.

AND, UM, IT'S, UH, THE FIRST WEEK OF OCTOBER.

SO WE'VE GOT SOME TIME AND WE'LL START PUBLICIZING IT SOON.

UM, BUT I JUST, I, YOU GUYS ARE GREAT.

UM, YOU KNOW, CHAMPIONS OF , UH, MULTIPLE WAYS OF GETTING AROUND THE CITY.

AND SO I WANTED TO INVITE EACH OF YOU TO, UM, SIGN UP IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO.

UM, THE WEBSITE IS WEAK.

WITHOUT DRIVING.ORG, YOU CAN SIGN UP AS AN INDIVIDUAL, AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, UM, AS AN ORGANIZATION.

UM, CNU IS KIND OF LEADING THE CHARGE, BUT WE HAVE 10 OTHER SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS AND WE'LL BE PUBLICIZING IT AND GETTING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE TO SIGN UP.

SO THE CONCEPT IS, IS THAT IN A TYPICAL CITY, ABOUT 30% OF THE POPULATION DOESN'T DRIVE.

MAYBE THEY CAN'T AFFORD A CAR OR THEY HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION, OR THEY HAVE AGED OUT OF DRIVING, OR THEY'RE A CHILD AND THEY CAN'T DRIVE YET.

UM, AND THE IDEA IS JUST TO HIGHLIGHT HOW THOSE PEOPLE GET AROUND THE CITY.

SO, UM, ANYWAY, WE'LL SEND OUT MORE INFORMATION.

JUST WANTED TO GIVE EVERYBODY HEADS UP AND INVITE YOU TO, UM, PARTICIPATE.

WE'D LOVE TO HAVE SOME KEY COUNCIL MEMBERS, UM, SIGNED UP BEFORE WE DO OUR BIG ROLLOUT, THE BEGINNING OF SEPTEMBER.

SO THANKS VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT COMMENT.

AND IF YOU WOULD MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE SENT IT TO ALL OF US OR THAT YOU WILL SEND IT, WE WOULD LOVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IT AND SEE HOW MANY COUNCIL MEMBERS CAN SIGN UP FOR, UH, A WEEK WITHOUT DRIVING.

[1. Approve the minutes of the Mobility Committee meeting of May 23, 2024]

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE MINUTES FROM MAY 20? MAY 23RD? 2024.

SO MOVED.

MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, SECONDED BY COUNCIL MEMBER NATASHA HARPER.

MADISON, ALL IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

AYE.

THAT IS UNANIMOUS.

WITH THE THREE OF US PRESENT, THAT MOVES US INTO OUR

[2. Update from the Urban Transportation Commission (UTC) regarding actions from the June 4, 2024, July 9, 2024, and August 6, 2024 meetings.]

BRIEFINGS.

THE FIRST ONE WE WILL HEAR IN JUST A MOMENT FROM THE CHAIR OF OUR URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

AND THEN WE WILL MOVE INTO STREET IMPACT FEE PROGRAM UPDATE.

AFTER THAT, WE'LL BE ELECTRIFICATION OF FLEET UPDATE FROM CITY OF AUSTIN, FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES, AS WELL AS CAT METRO.

SO WE'RE EXCITED.

WE HAVE SOME CAT METRO FOLKS JOINING US TODAY.

AND THEN AT THE END, IT WILL BE THE CITY OF AUSTIN MOBILITY REPORT, WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE THERE WILL BE A PRESENTATION ON, BUT JUST SO FOLKS CAN REFERENCE THAT IN THE BACKUP.

IT'S A, A GREAT SUMMARY OF THE WORK THAT OUR MOBILITY DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING OVER THE PAST MONTH OR SO.

I KNOW WE'RE COMING IN OFF OF SUMMER BREAK, AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A LOT OF GOOD INFORMATION TO REFERENCE THERE ABOUT THE GOOD WORK OF OUR DEPARTMENTS.

SO THAT BRINGS US TO BRIEFING ITEM NUMBER TWO, UPDATE FROM URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

AND WE HAVE CHAIR SUMMERS WITH US.

WELCOME.

HI, I AM SUSAN SUMMERS.

I'M THE CHAIR OF THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

THANK YOU SO MUCH AS ALWAYS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COMMITTEE MEMBERS FOR GIVING ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE WITH YOU ABOUT OUR MEETINGS.

SO, UH, I THINK I WAS LAST HERE IN MAY.

SO WE'VE HAD THREE MEETINGS.

UM, IT WAS A FAIRLY LIGHT SUMMER.

WE DIDN'T TAKE, WE DIDN'T HAVE, WE MET THREE TIMES, BUT WE HAD A FAIRLY LIGHT MEETING, UH, UH, SLATE.

UM, IN JUNE, WE HEARD A, UH, PRESENTATION UPDATE ABOUT URBAN TRAILS AND SIDEWALK PROGRAM, WHICH WAS, UH, REALLY, REALLY INTERESTING.

IF YOU WANNA LEARN MORE ABOUT SOME OF THE UNIQUE OBSTACLES, PARTICULARLY WITH URBAN TRAILS, UM, IN JULY, THAT LED US, THAT WAS WHERE WE HAD SOME ACTION ITEMS. SO, UM, WE DID HEAR, UH, ABOUT THE MID ABILITY, UH, ANNUAL PLAN, WHICH WAS JUST A BRIEFING AND DISCUSSION.

BUT WE HAD, UM, THREE ACTION ITEMS. THESE ARE AVAILABLE TO YOU IN YOUR BACKUP.

[00:05:01]

UM, UH, IN JULY, UH, ACTUALLY FOUR, EXCUSE ME, FOUR ACTION ITEMS. ONE IS NOT IN YOUR BACKUP.

IT WAS A SIMPLE UP DOWN VOTE.

UM, THE HAYES COMMONS MUNICIPAL UTILITY DISTRICT, AS YOU MAY KNOW, UM, THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION IS ONE OF THOSE COMMISSIONS THAT IS ASKED TO, UH, PROVIDE A RECOMMENDATION ON A PROPOSED MUD, SPECIFICALLY DISCUSSING THE TRANSPORTATION RELATED ASPECTS OF THOSE PROPOSED MUDS.

SO WE DID RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THAT MUD.

UM, THEN WE, UM, HAVE, UH, THREE SUBSTANTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS.

SO ONE IS OUR ANNUAL REPORT.

I WON'T GET INTO THAT EXTENSIVELY.

IT'S OBVIOUSLY A SUMMARY OF OUR ACTIONS AND BRIEFINGS THAT WE DID RECEIVE OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST, UH, FISCAL YEAR.

SO YOU CAN REVIEW THAT AT YOUR LEISURE.

UM, AND THAT WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMISSION.

UM, WE ALSO RECOMMENDED, UM, A BRIDGE INVESTMENT IN SIDEWALKS AND BIKEWAYS.

I, I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALL VERY, VERY WELL FAMILIAR WITH THE VARIOUS PROPOSALS FOR TRANSPORTATION OR CLIMATE INFRASTRUCTURE BOND IN THE CITY.

AND, UM, THOSE HAVE GONE VARIOUS PLACES AND HAD VARIOUS DISCUSSIONS.

WE PUT FORWARD A PROPOSAL FOR, UH, UM, A MORE LIMITED BOND THAT WOULD PROVIDE, UH, GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE, TRANSIT, TRANSIT, SUPPORTIVE INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, PARTICULARLY WITH A, LIKE TO NOT SLOWING DOWN OUR MOBILITY, UH, ANNUAL PLANS AND BEING ABLE TO CONTINUE OUR CONSTRUCTION OF SIDEWALKS.

AS YOU MAY KNOW, UM, WE, UH, ARE DOING A REALLY, REALLY GREAT JOB, UH, WITH OUR COMMITMENTS TO THE COMMUNITY IN BUILDING SIDEWALKS IN OUR CITY.

UM, THEY REALLY HAVE AN AMAZING OPERATION IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY'RE ABLE TO ROLL OUT AND THE SYSTEMS THAT THEY'VE PUT IN PLACE TO, UM, TO BUILD SIDEWALKS IN OUR CITY.

AND WE REALLY DON'T WANT THAT TO SLOW DOWN.

AND OUR CONCERN IS THAT IF WE DON'T HAVE SOME BOND, UH, FUNDING SOON, THAT ACTUALLY OUR SIDEWALK PROGRAM IS SO EFFICIENT AND AMAZING THAT THEY MAY ACTUALLY SPEND DOWN ALL OF THEIR MONEY.

SO WE DON'T WANT ANY PROGRESS TO BE LOST THERE.

SO THAT WAS THE, THE THRUST OF THAT RECOMMENDATION IS MAKING SURE OUR, UH, TRAILS BIKEWAYS AND, UH, PARTICULARLY OUR BIKEWAYS AND, UH, SIDEWALK PLANS ARE NOT, UH, LEFT IN THE COLD THERE AS THEY BEGIN TO REALLY SPEND DOWN SOME OF THE PRIOR BOND MONEY THAT OUR, UH, CITY HAS GRACIOUSLY, UH, VOTED FOR.

SO YOU CAN REVIEW THAT THERE.

UM, WE ALSO, UM, HAD A, UH, RECOMMENDATION, UM, LEADING OUT OF THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD IN JUNE REGARDING URBAN TRAILS.

AND THIS IS ACTUALLY A GREAT SEGUE BECAUSE, UM, WE ARE DOING A REALLY, REALLY GREAT JOB AT BUILDING, UH, PARTICULARLY SIDEWALKS, BUT ALSO BIKEWAYS AND BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY.

HOWEVER, OUR URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM HAS SOME UNIQUE OBSTACLES.

FIRST OF ALL, THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM HAS A, UH, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE 2023 URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM, IT IS, UH, IT'S MUCH MORE EXTENDED TIMELINE THAN OUR OTHER PLANS.

IT'S A VERY LONG DELIVERY TIMELINE FOR OUR CURRENT URBAN TRAILS PLAN.

AND ALSO, UM, WE ARE NOT MAKING THE SAME LEVEL OF PROGRESS TOWARD THAT PLAN, UM, AND SPENDING DOWN SOME OF THE MONEY ALLOCATED TO IT AS WE ARE WITH SIDEWALKS.

AND THAT'S IN LARGE PART DUE TO MANY OF THE VERY UNIQUE, UM, ASPECTS WITH URBAN TRAILS IN TERMS OF THE RIGHT OF WAY, IN TERMS OF IT BEING A NEW TYPE OF PROGRAM THAT PEOPLE ARE NOT AS FAMILIAR WITH, UM, IN SOME CASES, EVEN THOUGH WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS A WHILE.

SO WE MADE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACCELERATE, UM, THE DELIVERY OF THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM TO, OF COURSE, MAKE SURE THAT WE MEET THE TIMELINE THAT'S CONTEMPLATED IN THE URBAN TRAILS PLAN, BUT ALSO TO POTENTIALLY ACCELERATE THE PLAN.

AND WE ALSO KNOW THAT ACCELERATING WITH INFLATION, WE GET MORE FOR OUR MONEY IF WE'RE ABLE TO BUILD THINGS QUICKER.

SO, UM, OUR BE IT RESOLVES IF YOU LOOK THROUGH THOSE, WE SUGGESTED A CROSS DEPARTMENTAL TASK FORCE TO, UH, EXAMINE STAFF CAPACITY AND MAKE SURE WE ARE, DO HAVE THE RIGHT LEVELS OF CAPACITY TO SUSTAIN OUR PLAN.

UM, THAT WE STRENGTHEN STAFF'S ABILITY TO SECURE EASEMENTS ALONG, UH, THE TRAIL EASEMENTS DURING THE SITE PLAN, REVIEW PROCESS, UM, REVIEW CURRENT BUILDING CODES TO VERIFY IF TRAIL FRIENDLY RETROFITS ARE ALLOWED ON EXISTING BUILDINGS AND EVALUATE WAYS TO MINIMIZE BARRIERS TO TRAIL FACING DEVELOPMENT.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO THE COMMISSION, AND I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IT IN PARTICULAR.

UM, WE HAVE, UM, MOMENTS WHERE BUILDINGS, BASICALLY THE BACK OF A BUILDING OR THE LOADING DOCK OF A BUILDING FACES THE URBAN TRAIL, URBAN TRAIL THAT'S PROPOSED.

AND WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE OPPORTUNITIES TO TURN THE BACK OF THE BUILDING INTO ANOTHER FRONT OF THE BUILDING WITH A CAFE OR, UH, SIDEWALKS OR ACCESS POINTS.

UM, THIS IS, UH, THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB OF THIS IN ATLANTA, IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH, I THINK IT'S CALLED THE BELT LINE THERE.

UM, SO THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REALLY LEARN FROM BEST PRACTICES IN OUR CITY TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE NOT, THAT WE'RE CAPITALIZING ON THOSE OPPORTUNITIES, UM, AND THAT OUR BUILDING CODE ISN'T, UM, WORKING AGAINST US THERE.

THAT WE CAN PROVIDE INCENTIVES FOR LAND USE THAT ENHANCE TRAIL ACCESS AND ADJACENT AMENITIES, INCLUDING, UH, REDUCED SETBACKS, MAINTENANCE AGREEMENTS, SECURING TRAIL ACCESS FOR EMERGENCY VEHICLES,

[00:10:01]

UM, PREVENTING, UH, RESIDENTS DISPLACEMENT AND CREATING AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES NEAR URBAN TRAILS, UM, TO ACCESS THESE GREAT RECREATIONAL HEALTH, UH, UH, PARKS.

URBAN TRAILS ARE REALLY INTERESTING, RIGHT? AND THAT THEY'RE THE SOMETHING THAT THEY'RE, THEY HAVE A RECREATION AND HEALTH EX ASPECT, AND THEN THEY ALSO HAVE PEOPLE USE THEM TO COMMUTE PEOPLE USE THEM AS TRANSPORTATION AS WELL.

SO THEY'RE SORT OF A REALLY UNIQUE, UH, SPACE IN OUR CITY, I THINK.

AND THEN, UM, CONDUCT ROBUST ENGAGEMENT ABOUT AMENITIES THAT, UH, UH, RESIDENTS WOULD LIKE NEAR URBAN TRAILS OR SEGMENTS OF TRAILS.

AND, UM, ALSO BEING THOUGHTFUL ABOUT THE PARK CONTEXT, BUT AS WELL AS, UM, A SAFETY MEASURES THAT GO ALONG THE TRAILS.

UM, SO SOME THINGS LIKE LIGHTING, SIGNAGE, EMERGENCY CALL STATIONS, AND A COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLAN ABOUT URBAN TRAILS.

SO, UM, WE RECOMMENDED A GOAL TO COMPLETE THE TIER ONE URBAN TRAILS.

UH, UH, SO RIGHT NOW IT, THE ORIGINAL GOAL IN THE PLAN IS TO COMPLETE THE TIER ONE URBAN TRAILS BY 2043, WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS QUITE AN EXTENDED TIMELINE.

SO TRYING TO ACCELERATE THE DELIVERY OF THOSE TIER ONE TRAILS IS REALLY WHAT WE'RE DRIVING AT.

AND THAT WOULD INCLUDE, TO GET THERE, WE'RE GONNA NEED TO OUR THIRD BE IT RESOLVED OR IS IDENTIFY FUNDING SOURCES, FEDERAL, STATE, OR PRIVATE GRANTS, PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS, UM, AS WELL AS, UH, DEDICATING MORE BUDGET, UM, TO OF THE TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS OPERATING BUDGET, WE SAID 2% TO, UH, TO URBAN TRAILS.

AND THEN, UM, ENSURE THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE FOUR-TIME EMPLOYEES WITHIN THE SIDEWALKS PROGRAM WHO ARE FOCUSED SOLELY ON URBAN TRAILS.

AND THAT IS IN LIGHT OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN LEARNING FROM STAFF OF THE PARTICULAR NEED, UH, UH, TO BUILD OUR CAPACITY TO DELIVER THESE TRAILS QUICKLY.

UM, AND WE ALSO ASKED FOR TRANSPORTATION AS A PUBLIC WORK STAFF TO REPORT BACK TO UTC SEMI-ANNUALLY ON THE PROGRESS OF THE URBAN TRAILS INITIATIVE.

SO THAT'S DEFINITELY OUR BIGGEST THING THAT I HAD TO PRESENT ON TODAY WAS THAT RECOMMENDATION.

UM, I ALREADY MENTIONED OUR ANNUAL REPORT AND THEN, UM, OUR AUGUST MEETING, UM, WE HAD SOME DISCUSSION OF A RECOMMENDATION.

WE DID NOT END UP PASSING A RECOMMENDATION THERE, SO I WON'T GET INTO THAT.

WE DID HEAR THE STREET IMPACT FEE, UH, UPDATE PRESENTATION, WHICH I THINK YOU'RE ALSO GETTING TODAY.

SO THAT IS OUR SUMMER, AND I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SERVICE ON THE COMMISSION.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF FOLKS THAT ARE IN THESE CONVERSATIONS EVERY DAY, AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE Y'ALL GOING THROUGH ALL THIS, ESPECIALLY AS A LOT OF PEOPLE I KNOW WERE, UM, TRAVELING WITH THEIR KIDS OUT OF SCHOOL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, SO WE KNOW IT'S A BIG COMMITMENT.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS FOR THE CHAIR? UH, I DO.

UH, UH, THANK YOU, UH, UH, SUSAN, UH, UH, REALLY, UH, APPRECIATE, UH, YOUR TIME AND ALL OF THE, UH, URBAN, UH, UTCS, UH, COMMISSIONER'S TIME WITH REGARD TO THE URBAN TRAILS.

MY UNDERSTANDING, AND I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH STAFF ABOUT IT, HONESTLY, IT WOULD BE GREAT TO EVEN HEAR THE STAFF'S PERSPECTIVE AS WELL, BUT WHEN WE'RE DOING A BIKE LANE ON THE STREET THAT JUST DOESN'T HAVE THE WATERSHED AND THE, THE KIND OF, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S EASIER, ESSENTIALLY, IT'S NOT THE CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL KIND OF, UH, NA COMPLEX NATURE THAT SOME OF THE URBAN TRAILS.

AND SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT SINCE WE'RE GONNA BE ADDING, FOR EXAMPLE, CONCRETE TO A WATERSHED AREA, WE HAVE TO MITIGATE FOR THAT.

UH, WE CAN HAVE, UH, UH, VERY DELICATE AREAS.

UH, SOMETIMES WE HAVE TO REMEDIATE, UH, IN OTHER WORDS, SOMETHING RELATIVELY, AND AGAIN, I'M NOT AN ENGINEER OR A BUILDER OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT SOMETHING RELATIVELY SIMPLE BECOMES VERY COMPLICATED BECAUSE OF THE KIND OF CROSS-DEPARTMENTAL NATURE OF THE CONSTRUCTION.

I, DO YOU HAVE ANY SENSE OF THAT? WHERE ARE WE WITH THAT? WHAT'S GOING ON? IS THAT, IS THAT WHERE A LOT OF THE DELAYS ARE? YEAH, I, I MEAN, THAT IS PART OF IT.

SO THE STAFF PRESENTATION IN JUNE DEFINITELY ADDRESS THAT QUITE A BIT.

CERTAINLY THAT'S PART OF IT.

AND KEEP IN MIND THAT MANY OF OUR URBAN TRAILS, CERTAINLY NOT ALL, BUT MANY ACTUALLY ARE ADJACENT TO CREEKS.

SO THAT, OF COURSE, IS A VERY INSENSITIVE ENVIRONMENT WHEN YOU'RE BUILDING A TRAIL, YOU KNOW, RIGHT NEXT TO A CREEK, UM, AND SOMETHING WE WANNA BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT.

SO, YES, AND I MEAN, I CERTAINLY DON'T WANNA SAY THAT WATERSHED NEVER COMES INTO A PLAY WITH BIKE LANES OR SIDEWALKS.

WE CERTAINLY HAVE SEEN THAT WITHIN THE CORRIDOR PLAN THAT WATERSHED MITIGATION ISSUES HAVE GREATLY AFFECTED THE DELIVERY OF SOME OF THE CORRIDOR PLAN ELEMENTS.

SO THAT CAN HAVE AN EFFECT, UM, AND RAISE COSTS REGARDLESS.

I THINK IT'S A MIX, UH, IN THE URBAN TRAILS, BOTH OF THINGS LIKE THE EASEMENTS, THE, UH, LEGAL RIGHTS, LAND ACQUISITION IN SOME CASES, UM, THAT IS MORE LEGALLY COMPLICATED THAN ON A SIDEWALK OR BIKE LANE WHERE USUALLY THE CITY ALREADY HAS THE ROW.

IN SOME CASE, WE MAY NOT FOR SOME OF THESE URBAN TRAILS.

SO THAT CAN BE, UH, COMPLICATED.

UM, YOU'RE ALSO COMING THROUGH, UM, LAND THAT SORT OF, A LOT OF PEOPLE SORT OF CONSIDERED THEIR, NOT, MAYBE

[00:15:01]

IT WASN'T REALLY, BUT SORT OF THEIR PRIVATE LAND, YOU'RE, YOU'RE LITERALLY GOING THROUGH THEIR BACKYARD OR SOMETHING.

SO THERE'S SOME ENGAGEMENT ISSUES THAT MAY BE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMPLEX THAN IN A SIDEWALK SITUATION.

THAT'S PART OF IT.

AND THEN CERTAINLY THOSE WATERSHED ISSUES, UM, AND MITIGATION OF SOME OF THAT WITH THE SLOPES WITH, UH, BEING NEAR TO CREEKS AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND THEN EVEN SOMETHING JUST LIKE GETTING A GATE TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX, LIKE WHERE UTC IS VERY FOCUSED ON THAT, IF YOU'RE GOING BEHIND A COMPLEX, A APARTMENT COMPLEX, WELL, BY GOLLY, YOU KNOW, THOSE RESIDENTS SHOULD HAVE A, A WAY TO SAFELY ACCESS THAT TRAIL THROUGH A GATE SO THAT THEY CAN GET OUT AND, UM, EXPERIENCE THAT AMENITY THAT THE CITY IS PROVIDING.

BUT EVEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT CAN, UM, BECOME SORT OF A NEGOTIATION WITH A LANDLORD OR APARTMENT MANAGEMENT COMMUNITY, SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

SO, YOU KNOW, THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS I THINK STAFF, UM, WHAT WE HEARD FROM THEM IS THAT THEY ARE VERY THOUGHTFUL ABOUT TAKING SOME OF THE LESSONS THEY'VE LEARNED ABOUT EFFICIENCY.

I MEAN, THEY'RE SO EFFICIENT WITH SIDEWALKS.

THEY HAVE THESE TEAMS AND THE WAY THAT THEY, UH, DO, DO THEIR, UH, PROCUREMENT AND THEIR PLANNING.

THEY JUST LIKE PICK UP THE TEAMS AND THEY MOVE THEM OVER TO THE NEXT PLACE.

YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY'RE REALLY HAVE BECOME A VERY EFFICIENT MACHINE.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING SUCH A GREAT SPEND THROUGH ON THE SIDEWALK MONEY.

MM-HMM, , UM, WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO TRANSLATE ALL OF THAT SIMPLISTICALLY TO URBAN TRAILS, BUT I THINK THEY'RE VERY HOPEFUL WITH, UH, BEING WITH THE SIDEWALK PROGRAM THAT THE LESSONS THEY'VE LEARNED FROM THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE, THEY CAN TRY TO TRANSLATE THAT TO URBAN TRAILS.

BUT WE'RE, I THINK WE'RE BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE AS OUR URBAN TRAIL PLAN MATURES SOME OF THE UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT URBAN TRAILS HAVE THAT MAY, UH, YOU KNOW, MAY ARGUE TOWARDS US DEDICATING MORE RESOURCES TO THEM SO THAT WE CAN WORK THROUGH SOME OF THOSE ISSUES AND, UM, LEARN FASTER AND DELIVER THIS PLAN A LITTLE BIT FASTER FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

GREAT.

WELL, I, I APPRECIATE THAT AND I, I AM REALLY, I THINK, UH, TRANSPORTATION HAS DONE A GREAT JOB, ESPECIALLY ON THE, ON THE SIDEWALK, UH, ASPECTS OF THINGS.

UH, AND, UH, AND, AND HAPPY TO SEE THAT.

I KNOW, I, I BELIEVE, UH, JOHN EASTMAN IS, IS, IS, UH, OVER THAT, AND I, I THINK THEY'RE REALLY KNOCKING IT OUT.

IT'S GREAT TO SEE SIDEWALKS GOING UP ALL OVER DISTRICT FOUR, FOR EXAMPLE, UH, AND LOOK FORWARD TO, TO SEEING THE URBAN, UH, TRAIL ASPECT OF THE, THE TRANSPORTATION NETWORK ALSO HOPEFULLY PICK UP SPEED, UH, IN, IN THE, IN THE COMING YEARS.

ABSOLUTELY.

I WOULD HOPE SO.

I KNOW IT'S NICE TO HAVE SOME BOND FUNDING TO DO IT, BUT WE KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO TAKE FUTURE BONDS TO BE ABLE TO GET US ACROSS THAT FINISH LINE.

UM, I'M REMINDED OF A TIME A COUPLE YEARS BACK WHERE WE ACTUALLY HAD TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY BUTTIGIEG HERE, UH, AT CITY HALL.

IT WAS GREAT TO GET TO TALK WITH HIM.

I KNOW THERE WERE A NUMBER OF OTHER CITY OFFICIALS THAT WERE ABLE TO SPEAK WITH HIM, AND I HAD BROUGHT UP ONE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT WE DON'T JUST HAVE OUR BIKEWAYS AND TRAILS ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.

JUST THESE TYPES OF CHALLENGES AND WAYS THAT WE CAN MITIGATE AND FACILITATE THE BUILDING OF TRAILS.

AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT MAKES AUSTIN VERY SPECIAL.

IT, IT'S WHAT MAKES, MAKES COMMUTES SAFER IN THE LONG RUN.

UM, THAT WE HAVE THIS WAY OF PLANNING OUR PARKS AND OUR TRAILS AND OUR COMMUTES DIFFERENTLY THAN I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE DO, WHICH IS GENERALLY BUILD THE CAR LANES FIRST AND THEN JUST CARVE OUT A LITTLE SPACE ON THE SIDE AND HOPE THAT PEOPLE MIGHT CHOOSE TO TRY TO RIDE A BIKE TO WORK FOR A COMMUTE OR TO RUN AN ERRAND.

UM, BUT WHERE YOU SEE PEOPLE IN PARK SPACES ON THOSE URBAN TRAILS IS WHERE WE ACTUALLY SEE PEOPLE TRYING MODE SHIFT TO GOALS, TRYING TO TRY A NEW WAY TO GET AROUND TOWN.

AND SO WE KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT, UM, OUR COMMUNITY HAS DONE REALLY WELL, AND WE THINK STAFF ARE WORKING SO DILIGENTLY ON THAT.

UM, NATASHA, DID YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I THOUGHT I SAW YOUR HAND UP, BUT JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T MISS YOU, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU JUST BUSTED ME IN A PIECE OF PEPPER .

OKAY, WELL, WE'LL, WE'LL, WE'LL MOVE OFF OF YOU THEN FOR A SECOND.

UM, BUT DEFINITELY CALL OUT IF YOU NEED MY ATTENTION FOR ANYTHING.

I'M TRYING TO KEEP MY EYES UP.

UM, UH, I'M WONDERING ABOUT THE TIMELINE FOR THE, THE TRAILS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.

IS, IS THERE ANY UPDATE OR ANYTHING STAFF WANTS TO SPEAK ABOUT AT THIS POINT ON, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHAT IS CAUSING THAT LONGER TIMELINE? I KNOW THAT, UM, THERE'S BEEN SOME CONVERSATION AROUND HOW ATLAS 14 HAS CHANGED THE WAY THAT WE DEAL WITH DRAINAGE, SO I'M NOT SURE IF THAT'S PLAYING IN OR IF THERE'S SOMETHING ELSE WE NEED TO BE, UM, THINKING OF AS A COUNCIL RIGHT NOW.

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

RICHARD MENDOZA, DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK AND THE SUPPORT OF THE, UH, URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION.

MANY OF THE, UH, UH, THE CHALLENGES, UH, THEY'RE, THEY'RE SPOT ON.

JUST BY THE NATURE OF AN URBAN TRAIL, BUILDING A 12 FOOT WIDE TRAIL THROUGH AN ALREADY BUILT URBAN ENVIRONMENT, UH, IS CHALLENGING ON A NUMBER OF FRONTS.

I DO WANNA REMIND THE COMMITTEE, UH, THAT, UH, I THINK IN 21 BY RESOLUTION, WE DID STAND UP AN URBAN TRAIL STAKEHOLDER GROUP.

AND THIS IS A GROUP THAT CONSISTS OF, UH, MY PEER DEPARTMENT HEADS FROM WATERSHED, AUSTIN ENERGY, UH, AUSTIN WATER, UH, AS WELL AS SOME STAKEHOLDER LEADERS, UH, LIKE SHOAL CREEK, UH, CONSERVANCY AND THE TRAIL CONSERVANCY.

UH, WE MET, WE MEET, UH, QUARTERLY TO DISCUSS

[00:20:01]

UM, SOME OF THE, THE WINS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH WITH OUR PARTNERS IN WATERSHEDS HAVE BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, IS SOME ALLOWANCES ON CUT AND FILL REQUIREMENTS, UH, SOME ALLOWANCES ON WHAT THEY WOULD CONSIDER IMPERVIOUS COVER.

AND, UH, AND THOSE HAVE BEEN VERY, VERY HELPFUL.

UM, BUT IN TERMS OF THE TIMELINE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE, WE'RE AIMING FOR SUBSTANTIAL COMPLETION BY 26.

THERE MAY BE SOME TRAILS THAT GO BEYOND THAT DUE TO RIGHT OF WAY ISSUES.

WE'RE DEALING WITH, UH, THE RAIL LINE, LIKE ON BURRS AND SPUR, UH, TRYING TO GET THOSE EASEMENTS REC, UH, UH, AVAILABLE FOR US.

AND WE'VE MADE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS, UH, SUCH AS DURING DEVELOPMENT REVIEW.

I'VE GOT MY REVIEWERS NOW AT THE PDC LOOKING AT PLANS WHERE THEY COME IN FOR PLANNING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE, THEY'RE RESERVING THOSE EASEMENTS FOR URBAN TRAILS IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR A SMP.

THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE IN INSTANCES WHERE WE'VE MISSED THAT AND WE'VE HAD TO ENGAGE WITH DEVELOPERS AND NEGOTIATE, UH, SOME ALTERNATIVE DESIGNS.

BUT WE'RE AGGRESSIVELY, UM, YOU KNOW, MOVING FORWARD ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2018, UH, NO 2020 AND 2016 URBAN TRAIL PROGRAM.

AND TO THE EXTENT THAT I CAN THAT, UH, THE SIDEWALKS AND THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT SUCCESS STORY.

UH, I'VE BEEN PUSHING THEM HARD SINCE I FIRST CAME HERE, UH, TO AUSTIN, UH, TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY FREE UP SOME CAPACITY, THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT NOT JUST THE URBAN TRAILS PROGRAM, UH, BUT ALSO THE SAFE ROUTES OF SCHOOL MOBILITY PROGRAM.

THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.

AND I KNOW WHEN WE BUILT THE 2020 BOND, WE BUILT IN A BUFFER AT THE BEGINNING KNOWING THAT IT WAS GOING TO TAKE STAFF SOME TIME TO KIND OF CREATE THAT PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN AND UNDERSTAND HOW ALL OF THESE WERE GONNA DOVETAIL TOGETHER.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE OBVIOUSLY SEEN HOW OUR FLOODPLAINS CHANGING HAVE IMPACTED PROJECTS.

YES.

UM, SO I'M CURIOUS TO SEE WHERE WE CAN TAKE IT FROM HERE AND, AND HOW, HOW WE CAN BETTER COLLABORATE, YOU KNOW, WHETHER THAT'S INTERDEPARTMENTAL OR JUST UNDERSTANDING KIND OF WHAT REGULATIONS ARE, ARE PLAYING IN HERE.

I KNOW WHEN WE BUILT THE URBAN TRAIL STAKEHOLDER GROUP, ONE OF THE ISSUES WAS KIND OF WAY FINDING SIGNAGE AND A DA RAMPS.

THERE WAS A LITTLE CONVERSATION AROUND, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU PUT THESE PERMANENT STRUCTURES IN FLOODPLAINS IN WAYS THAT HADN'T REALLY BEEN THOUGHT OF BEFORE? AND SO I'M GLAD THAT THAT STAKEHOLDER GROUP IS STILL ACTIVELY WORKING TOGETHER AND, AND LOOKING THROUGH SOME OF THOSE CODE VARIANCES.

BUT, UM, APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT'S GOING ON ON THOSE.

DON'T REALLY HAVE TO PAY THE IMPACT FEE UNTIL THEY GET TO THE, UH, BILLING PERMIT PROCESS.

ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS ON THESE? ALL

[3. Street Impact Fee Program update.]

RIGHT.

I THINK THAT WILL MOVE US TO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS GOING TO BE AN UPDATE ON THE STREET IMPACT FEE PROGRAM FROM ASSISTANT DIRECTOR UPAL BARA.

WELCOME.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR, VICE CHAIR, ALL THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COUNCIL MEMBERS.

UH, MY NAME IS POL BARA, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR AUSTIN TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT.

UH, THIS AFTERNOON I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT OUR STREET IMPACT FEE PROGRAM.

SO THIS IS THE, UH, LAYOUT OF MY PRESENTATION.

I'M GONNA TALK ABOUT THE STREET IMPACT FEE, LIKE WHAT IT IS, WHY WE APPLY THE IMPACT FEE, THE IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE, THE APPLICABILITY OF THE IMPACT FEE, AND ALSO HOW MUCH WE INVOICED SO FAR UNDER THE PROGRAM, AND HOW MUCH WE, UH, COLLECTED THUS FAR.

AND ALSO SOME OF THE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF THE IMPACT FEE FUND.

AND ANY QUESTIONS YOU, YOU ALL HAVE FOR, FOR ME.

SO AGAIN, THE BROADER QUESTION, WHAT IS THE STREET IMPACT FEE? STREET IMPACT FEE IS A PROGRAM THAT ALLOWS, UH, DEVELOPMENTS TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES.

AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS COME IN, THEY TRIGGER THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE, AND IMPACT FEE PROGRAM IS A WAY TO, UH, CONSTRUCT NEW INFRASTRUCTURE JUST SO THAT WE CAN ACCOMMODATE NEW DENSITY AND NEW DEVELOPMENTS UNDER THIS PARTICULAR PROGRAM, EACH AND EVERY DEVELOPMENT HAS TO PAY FOR THEIR FAIR AND EQUITABLE SHARE TOWARDS MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE.

UNDER THIS PROGRAM, UH, APPLICANTS HAS TO PAY FOR, UH, THE IMPACT FEE BASED ON THEIR LOCATION, INTENSITY AND THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENTS.

AND ONE OF THE PRIMARY BENEFITS OF THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM IS THAT IT PROVIDES THE PREDICTABILITY, CERTAINTY, AND TRANSPARENCY TO THE APPLICANTS, AND THE APPLICANTS CAN CALCULATE THEIR OBLIGATION TOWARDS MOBILITY AT THE INCEPTION OF THE PROJECT.

SO WHEN DO APPLICANTS HAVE TO PAY FOR THE IMPACT FEE? AS APPLICANTS GO THROUGH THE ZONING PROCESS, SUBDIVISION PROCESS, SITE PLAN, AND BILLING PERMIT, THEY

[00:25:01]

AND AS WE COLLECT THE FUNDING, WE SAVE THE FUNDING IN THE IMPACT FEE FUND, AND WE SPEND THEM TOWARDS THE MOBILITY PROJECTS, UH, TOWARDS OUR CAPACITY IMPROVEMENTS, ROADWAY PROJECTS, JUST SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE CONGESTION AND ENHANCE OUR EFFICIENCY ON THE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

THIS IS A TENTATIVE TIMELINE OF OUR IMPACT FEE PROGRAM.

UH, THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE WAS ADOPTED BY CITY COUNCIL BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2020.

UH, THEN THERE WAS A GRACE PERIOD FOR 18 MONTHS.

UH, AND IN THAT 18 MONTHS, APPLICANTS WERE ABLE TO PROCESS THEIR APPLICATIONS THAT THEY SUBMITTED BEFORE THE IMPACT FEE ORDINANCE, JUST SO THAT THEY'RE NOT CAUGHT, UH, IN BETWEEN THE ADOPTION AND AFTER, UH, THE 18 MONTHS OF THE GRACE PERIOD.

WE ALSO, UH, ESTABLISHED A PUBLIC FACING DASHBOARD JUST SO THAT WE CAN SEE HOW MUCH IMPACT FEE WE HAVE COLLECTED IN EACH OF THE 17 SERVICE AREAS, HOW MUCH WE HAVE SPENT, WHAT ARE THE MOBILITY PROJECTS WE CONSTRUCTED OUT OF THE IMPACT FEE FUND.

AND MOVING FORWARD, UH, BEYOND DECEMBER OF 2023, ALL THE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO BE, UH, SUBJECT TO THE IMPACT FEE IF THE IMPACT FEE IS TRIGGERED .

SO WHEN IS IMPACT FEE TRIGGERED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS? NOT ALL THE DEVELOPMENTS TRIGGERED THE IMPACT FEE.

IT DEPENDS ON THE SIZE AND INTENSITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

AND TECHNICALLY SPEAKING, IMPACT FEE IS TRIGGERED WHEN A PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, UH, GENERATES ABOUT 10 AFTERNOON PICKOUT TRIPS.

BUT WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? SO IT MEANS, UH, THAT 10 AFTERNOON PICKOUT TRIPS, IT EQUALS TO ABOUT 10 TO 11 SINGLE FAMILY UNITS.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT, UH, A MULTI-FAMILY DEVELOPMENT, IT'S GONNA BE ABOUT 23, UM, MULTI-FAMILY UNITS.

UH, IF IT'S A MID-RISE APARTMENT COMPLEX, IF IT'S HIGH-RISE, THAT NUMBER IS, UH, 28 DWELLING UNITS FOR OFFICES, IT'S ABOUT 9,000 SQUARE FEET.

SO WHEN A PARTICULAR DEVELOPMENT, UH, MEETS THESE THRESHOLDS, THE IMPACT FEE IS TRIGGERED.

SO UNDER THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM, THE ENTIRE SERIES DIVIDED INTO 17 SERVICE AREAS.

AND THESE 17 SERVICE AREAS WERE, UH, CREATED BASED ON THE LAND USE, UH, ALL OVER THE CITY, PLUS THE, UH, THE TRIP LENGTH FOR EACH OF THE SERVICE AREAS.

WE HAD ESTABLISHED THE MODEL, UH, BACK IN 2020 DURING THE ADOPTION PROCESS.

AND EACH OF THE SERVICE AREAS, THEY HAVE, UH, A DIFFERENT COLLECTION RATE.

AND ONE OF THE LIMITATIONS OF THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM IS THAT WHEN WE COLLECT THE IMPACT FEE IN EACH OF THE SERVICE AREAS, THE IMPACT FEE HAS TO BE SPENT WITHIN THAT PARTICULAR SERVICE AREA.

IT CANNOT CROSS THE BOUNDARY AND GO INTO ANOTHER SERVICE AREA.

UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN, UH, REDUCTIONS IN OFFSETS WE OFFER TO THE APPLICANTS WHEN THEY WORK ON THE, UH, DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

AND IF THE APPLICANTS AND DEVELOPERS, THEY CONSTRUCT MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, THEY GET AN OFFSET TOWARDS THE IMPACT FEE.

AND WE REALLY HIGHLY ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANTS TO, TO TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY AND CONSTRUCT MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY.

SO AS WE COLLECT THE IMPACT FEE AND PUT THEM IN THE FUND, UH, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THIS FUND? WHAT IS THE INTENT OF THE FUND? WHAT TYPE OF PROJECTS CAN WE BUILD OUT OF THE IMPACT FEE? UH, SO DURING THE IMPACT FEE ADOPTION PROCESS BACK IN DECEMBER OF 2020, WE ESTABLISHED A 10 YEAR ROAD CAPACITY PLAN THAT INCLUDED OVER 1100 MOBILITY PROJECTS.

UH, THERE ARE DIFFERENT VARIETY OF PROJECTS IN THAT PARTICULAR, UH, ROAD CAPACITY PLAN.

IT RANGES FROM, UH, CONSTRUCTING A NEW INDUSTRY, UH, PROVIDING A NEW CONNECTION IN OUR STREET NETWORK, UH, UPGRADING STANDARD STREETS TO FULL CROSS SECTION TO PROVIDE ALL THE, UH, ELEMENTS OF THE CROSS SECTION, UH, CONVERTING ONE WAY TO TWO WAY OR VICE VERSA, PROVIDING ACCESS MANAGEMENT TO OUR CURRENT SYSTEM, IMPROVING AN INTERSECTION, ADDING ADDITIONAL LANE TO THE INTERSECTION, OR CONSTRUCTING A NEW SIGNAL OR A ROUNDABOUT.

ALL OF THESE ARE INCLUDED IN THAT 10 YEAR ROADWAY CAPACITY PLAN.

SO WHEN WE HAVE A PROJECT AND IF THE PROJECT IS, UH, FALLING WITHIN

[00:30:01]

THAT, UH, PARAMETER, THEN WE CAN APPLY THE IMPACT FEE FUND, UH, FOR, UH, ADMINISTERING THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM WITH OUR APPLICANTS AND DEVELOPERS.

WE ESTABLISH THE, UH, WORKSHEET HOUSE JUST SO THAT APPLICANTS CAN VERY EASILY CALCULATE THEIR OBLIGATION TOWARDS MOBILITY.

AND WE ALSO, UH, PUBLISHED A GUIDELINE FOR THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM JUST SO THAT APPLICANTS CAN EASILY FOLLOW THROUGH THE STEPS DURING THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.

UH, THERE ARE CERTAIN REDUCTIONS WE OFFER TO THE APPLICANTS BASED ON THE ORDINANCE, AND SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS ARE BASED ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, PROVIDED WHEN AN APPLICANT IS PROVIDING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.

IF IT'S, UH, 60% MFI FOR RENTAL UNITS OR 80% MFI OR HIGHER FOR, UH, OWNERSHIP UNITS, THEY GET A PARTICULAR REDUCTION IN THEIR IMPACT FEE.

IF AN APPLICANT IS, UH, DEVELOPING A MIXED USE DEVELOPMENT, UH, YOU KNOW, MAYBE RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL RETAIL PLUS OFFICE ALTOGETHER, THEY ARE ABLE TO CAPTURE THE TRIPS WITHIN THE SITE.

THERE IS LESS IMPACT ON THE OVERALL STREET NETWORK.

SO THAT GIVES THE APPLICANTS A PARTICULAR REDUCTION TOWARDS IMPACT FEE.

IF AN APPLICANT IS PROPOSING A DEVELOPMENT CLOSER TO TRANSIT LINE, THAT REALLY, UH, INCENTIVIZES, UH, TRANSIT RIDERSHIP AND ALSO LESSENS THE IMPACT ON THE STREET NETWORK.

SO FOR THAT, THE APPLICANTS GET A REDUCTION TO OUR IMPACT FEE.

UH, IF THE APPLICANTS ARE PROPOSING, UH, PARKING SUPPLY LESS THAN A PARTICULAR THRESHOLD, AGAIN, THERE ARE DISCOURAGING SINGLE OCCUPANT VEHICLES ON THE STREET, SO THEY GET, UH, A REDUCTION FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO THESE ARE, UH, SOME OF THE REDUCTIONS AVAILABLE TO, UH, THE APPLICANTS JUST SO THAT THEY CAN TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY DURING THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

SO THIS SLIDE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW, HOW MUCH WE COLLECTED SO FAR, AND HOW MUCH WE HAVE GOTTEN CONSTRUCTED, UH, FOR MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY, AND HOW MUCH REDUCTIONS WE PROVIDED THUS FAR.

UM, SO BETWEEN JUNE OF 2022, UH, TILL JUNE OF THIS YEAR, WE HAVE COLLECTED ABOUT $10 MILLION IN OUR IMPACT FUND ACROSS THE 17 SERVICE AREAS.

AND ON TOP OF THIS $10 MILLION, WE HAVE ALSO GOTTEN ABOUT $6 MILLION WORTH MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN OUR RIGHT OF WAY.

AND IN THIS TIME WE ALSO HAD GIVEN ABOUT $2.2 MILLION, UH, AFFORDABLE REDUCTIONS TO THE APPLICANTS.

THIS IS A REPRESENTATION OF HOW MUCH WE, UH, INVOICED SO FAR AND HOW MUCH WE COLLECTED ACROSS THE 17TH SERVICE AREAS.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, UH, TO DATE, WE HAVE COLLECTED ABOUT 20, OR WE HAVE INVOICED ABOUT $20 MILLION, BUT WE COLLECTED $10 MILLION.

SO THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN HOW MUCH WE INVOICED AND HOW MUCH WE COLLECTED.

AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OF REASONS FOR THAT AS WE GO THROUGH THE DEVELOPMENT REVIEW PROCESS.

GENERALLY SPEAKING, APPLICANTS LIKE TO WAIT UNTIL THE, UH, VERY END, UH, BEFORE THIS MAKE THE PAYMENT FOR THE IMPACT FEE AT THE TIME OF BUILDING PERMIT.

AND ALSO IN THE PAST, SAY, UM, 12 TO 18 MONTHS IN THE CURRENT ENROLLMENT OF HIGH INTEREST RATE, MANY APPLICANTS ARE WAITING TO SEE IF IT MAKES SENSE FOR THEM TO PULL THE BUILDING PERMIT OR WAIT FOR A DROP IN THE INTEREST RATE, UH, JUST SO THAT THEIR PROJECT BECOMES MORE FEASIBLE FOR THEM.

SO BECAUSE OF THAT REASON, THERE'S A LAG BETWEEN, UH, WHEN WE INVOICE AND WHEN WE ARE ABLE TO COLLECT THE IMPACT FEE.

THIS IS, AGAIN, A DISTRIBUTION OF THE MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS.

WE HAVE GOTTEN CONSTRUCTED WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY ACROSS THE 17 SERVICE AREAS.

AND IT'S REALLY AN OPTION TO THE APPLICANTS.

WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THE APPLICANTS TO BUILD THE MOBILITY INFRASTRUCTURE AND MOBILITY IMPROVEMENTS WITHIN THE RIGHT OF WAY AS THEY DEVELOP THEIR SITE.

SOME DEVELOPERS, THEY DECIDE TO GO FOR IT, SOME DEVELOPERS DECIDE TO WRITE US A CHECK JUST SO THAT THEY CAN MOVE ON WITH THEIR DEVELOPMENTS.

SO IT'S REALLY AN OPTION FOR DEVELOPERS EITHER TO CONSTRUCT THE IMPROVEMENTS AND GET AN OFFSET TOWARDS THE IMPACT FEE OR WRITE US A FULL CHECK.

SO THIS IS AN EXAMPLE HOW THE IMPACT FEE ALLOWS THE DEVELOPMENTS TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES.

AND

[00:35:01]

IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT FOR US IN THE PUBLIC AGENCY TO, UH, KEEP ON CONSTRUCTING IMPROVEMENTS FOR EACH AND EVERY DEVELOPMENT.

SO THAT'S WHY WE ALWAYS ENCOURAGE THE DEVELOPERS TO BUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE FOR THEMSELVES.

SO THIS IS AN AREA IN THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF LAMAR AND PALMER INTERSECTION IN, UH, DISTRICT, UH, SEVEN.

AND THERE ARE MULTIPLE DEVELOPMENTS THAT CAME INTO DEVELOP THE SITE.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE ARE, UH, DISCONNECTIONS IN OUR STREET NETWORK.

IT IS NOT CONNECTED, IT'S NOT COMPACT, AND IT'S NOT REALLY PROVIDING A GOOD, UH, CONNECTIVITY TO THE COMMUNITY.

SO AS THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS CAME IN, UH, WE WORKED WITH THEM AND AS YOU CAN SEE, ONE APPLICANT CAME IN AND THEY STARTED BUILDING THE INFRASTRUCTURE, UH, ON THE NORTHERN SIDE.

AND THEY ARE PROVIDING, UH, CONNECTIONS AND COMPLETING THE STREET NETWORK.

AND ANOTHER APPLICANT CAME IN.

THEY'RE CONSTRUCTING THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE NETWORK AND CONSTRUCTING STREET INFRASTRUCTURE AND REALLY PROVIDING THE CONNECTIVITY THAT WE NEED FOR THE NEW PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AS WELL AS THE EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS WE HAVE IN THE COMMUNITY.

SO, SO THAT'S HOW THE IMPACT FEE WORKS.

IT REALLY ALLOWS THE APPLICANTS TO CONSTRUCT SOME OF THE CONNECTIVITIES IN OUR STREET NETWORK.

AND THAT'S HOW WE CAN INCENTIVIZE DENSITY AND, UH, CONNECTIVITY AS WELL AS NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

UH, THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR YOU ALL TODAY.

OF COURSE, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HERE TO ANSWER.

THAT'S GREAT.

DO WE HAVE QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS? COUNCIL MEMBER VELA, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION.

IT, IT'S A GREAT WAY TO FUND THE VERY NEEDED TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

AND I, I REALLY JUST WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT DEVELOPMENT FEES, THE STREET IMPACT FEES FOR THE DEVELOPMENT STAY WITHIN THE LOCATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT.

AND SO WHEN FOLKS ARE SEEING NEW APARTMENTS OR NEW CONSTRUCTION GOING ON IN THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD, THERE ARE MONIES HIGHLY LIKELY THAT THERE ARE MON UH, THERE'S, THERE ARE MONIES FLOWING TOWARD TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS WITHIN THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS AS WELL DUE TO THAT CONSTRUCTION.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT LINK THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO CONVEY TO OUR, UH, COMMUNITY.

UM, ARE THERE WAYS THAT WE CAN LEVERAGE THE STREET IMPACT FEES? LIKE IN OTHER WORDS, IS THAT MONEY JUST IN ITS OWN BUCKET OR CAN WE COMBINE THAT WITH, UH, BOND MONEY, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT MONEY, WHATEVER THE CASE MAY MEET, MAY BE SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE TO JUST HAVE IT SITTING IN THE BANK, BUT WE CAN ACTUALLY PUT IT TO, TO USE ON THE STREETS.

UH, GREAT QUESTIONS COUNCIL MEMBER.

YES, WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO LEVERAGE THE IMPACT WE FUND WITH ANY OTHER FUNDING SOURCES LIKE BOND OR ANY CIP FUND THAT WE HAVE.

AND WE ARE CURRENTLY WORKING ON THAT, HOW WE CAN JUST LEVERAGE THAT FUNDING AND NOT WAIT FOR THE BUCKET TO BUILD UP JUST SO THAT WE CAN BUILD BIGGER PROJECTS.

YES.

SO THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ACTIVELY WORKING ON AND THAT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL.

'CAUSE I, IF THERE IS, AND I THINK, AGAIN, I THINK PEOPLE REALLY APPRECIATE, UH, THE, THE CONCEPT OF THE STREET IMPACT FEES.

THAT MY ONLY, UH, WHAT I HEAR FROM CONSTITUENTS OR CONCERN IS THAT THIS BUILDING WENT UP AND NOTHING'S HAPPENED.

YOU KNOW, LIKE WHERE IS THAT MONEY? WHY HAVEN'T WE SEEN THOSE IMPROVEMENTS? SO ANY OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE HAVE TO LEVERAGE OTHER MONIES AND ADVANCE THOSE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS DEFINITELY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

MM-HMM, , I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS AND I'M SORRY IF I AM SETTING US BACK TO SQUARE ONE.

AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, WHERE, WHERE WE'VE COME FROM AND WHERE WE'RE HEADING ON THIS.

I KNOW WHEN, UH, COUNCIL MEMBER KITCHEN WAS CHAIRING THIS COMMITTEE MANY YEARS AGO, THIS IS WHEN WE TOOK UP STREET IMPACT FEE AND REALLY MEETING OVER MEETING, OVER MEETING, WENT THROUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS OF HOW IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE STRUCTURED.

STAFF DID AN AMAZING JOB ASSESSING HOW EXACTLY THESE WERE GOING TO BE APPLIED AND USED.

UM, SO MY QUESTION IS A BIT ABOUT OTH OTHER IMPROVEMENTS AND IF STREET IMPACT FEE IS APPLICABLE FOR THOSE.

I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF ROADWAY CAPACITY DISCUSSION, BUT I'M CURIOUS 'CAUSE I HAVE A COUPLE OF LOCATIONS IN MY DISTRICT THAT ARE CAP METRO ROUTES, AND I'M CURIOUS IF THERE'S WAYS THE CITY CAN HELP ASSIST WITH THE OTHER MODES.

I KNOW IT'S NOT GONNA BE BUILDING BUS SLIPS AND ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT COULD IT HELP PEOPLE WITH CROSSWALKS, UM, OR BEACONS TO GET TO AND FROM THESE, AS WE TRY TO LOOK AT OUR PUBLIC TRANSIT BIKE AND PEDESTRIAN USAGE, ARE THERE WAYS TO KIND OF ENHANCE SIDEWALKS OR SHARED USE PATHS IN THIS CONVERSATION? OR IS IT MORE FOCUSED ON JUST CAR ROADWAY CAPACITY? UH, THANK YOU CHAIR.

I THINK IT'S, IT'S, UH, YES AND NO.

UH, SO YES, BECAUSE IF THERE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE PART OF THE BIGGER, UH, ROADWAY, FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE CONSTRUCT A NEW PROJECT OR UPGRADE A PROJECT OR SAY A SUBSTANDARD STREET, WE ARE NOT ONLY ADDING ROTARY CAPACITY, WE ARE ADDING, UH, SIDEWALK BICYCLE

[00:40:01]

LANES, UH, SHARED YOUTH, SHARED YOUTH PATHS AND ALSO CARBON GUTTER.

SO THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM.

WHERE THE LIMITATION COMES IN IS WHEN WE ARE, UH, CONSTRUCTING OFFSET IMPROVEMENTS AWAY FROM THE SITE AND SOLELY TARGETED TOWARDS, SAY, BIKE LANE OR, OR SIDEWALK FOR THAT MATTER.

UH, THERE ARE ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR NEW DEVELOPMENTS.

IF THERE ARE MISSING LINKS IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE DEVELOPMENT BY CODE, THEY NEED TO, THEY HAVE TO CONSTRUCT SIDEWALK, BIKE LANES, WHATEVER IS IN THERE.

UM, BUT YEAH, SO THE LIMITATION IS POSED BY THE STATE LAW.

IT HAS TO BE PART OF THE ROTARY CAPACITY PLAN.

BUT AGAIN, IF THERE ARE PHASES THAT WE CAN CONSTRUCT, UH, IT COULD BE SAY ADDING, UH, SIDEWALK PART OF THE BIGGER ROAD PROJECT OR ADDING BACKLINE AS PART OF THE BIGGER ROAD PROJECT, THEN THAT IS ALLOWED UNDER THE IMPACT FEE PROGRAM.

BUT IT HAS TO BE A PHASE OF THE BIGGER CONSTRUCTION PROJECT.

AND SO LET MAKE SURE THAT I'M UNDERSTANDING CORRECTLY.

LET'S SAY THERE IS A NEW FACILITY THAT GOES IN ON A ROAD AND THERE'S STREET IMPACT FEE USED TO EXPAND AND ENHANCE THAT ROAD.

THE MONEY MAY OR MAY NOT BE ABLE TO BE USED FOR AN ADJOINING PROPERTY THAT'S ALREADY CONSTRUCTED THAT MAYBE JUST DIDN'T HAVE AN A DA RAMP FOR, FOR A BUS STOP, UM, OR GETTING TO A BUS STOP ON THE SAME ROAD IF THAT PROPERTY JUST NEVER BUILT IT, 'CAUSE IT, YOU KNOW, PREDATED ORDINANCES THAT MAKE YOU BUILD A DA ACCESSIBILITY, UM, WOULD THOSE FEES BE ABLE TO BE USED TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE ON THAT STREET THAT WANNA USE THESE OTHER MODES? I THINK IF THAT IS TARGETED IMPROVEMENTS FOR OTHER MODES AWAY FROM THE SITE, I THINK THAT IS THE LIMITATION THAT THE STATE LAW PUTS IN, UM, ON THE IMPACT FEE UNDER THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE, UH, 3 95.

BUT IF IT'S MAYBE ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET AND COULD BE USEFUL, YOUR ASSESSMENT IS THAT MAYBE IT WOULD QUALIFY, CORRECT.

IF IT'S ON THE SAME SIDE OF THE STREET CLOSER TO OUR ADJACENT TO THE SITE PARK CODE, THEY NEED TO IMPROVE THAT.

AN OLDER ONE MIGHT BENEFIT FROM AN IMPROVEMENT THAT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THE NEWER DEVELOPMENT BUT STILL SERVES THE OLDER ONE IF PEOPLE ARE GETTING THERE ON THE SAME PATHWAY.

CORRECT.

YEAH, I THINK THERE ARE, YOU KNOW, CERTAIN, UH, REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE STATE LAW AND WE ARE TRYING TO BE AS FLEXIBLE.

WE CAN BUT ALSO NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMPLYING WITH THE STATE LAW UNDER THE IMPACT FEE.

NO, I APPRECIATE THAT.

'CAUSE I REMEMBER GOING THROUGH THIS IN GREAT DETAIL MANY YEARS AGO AND I USED TO JOKE THAT WE HAD TO PUT ON OUR STREET IMPACT FEE HAT AND SAY, CLEAR THE TABLE.

WE'VE GOTTA REALLY DIG INTO WHAT THIS IS, WHAT IT DOES, HOW IT FUNCTIONS, AND WHAT OUR LIMITATIONS ARE.

AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN A COUPLE YEARS SINCE WE WENT THROUGH THAT.

BUT, UM, APPRECIATE THAT.

AND I WILL SAY, I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER DIFFERENT, UH, WAYS THAT WE CAN IMPROVE SIDEWALK BIKES AND PUBLIC TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY.

UM, JUST WANNA MAKE SURE WE KNOW THE LIMITATIONS OF STREET IMPACT FEE IN PARTICULAR.

THANK YOU, JIM.

THAT'S GREAT.

I THINK THAT COVERS IT FOR THIS ITEM.

WE'RE GONNA BRING UP IS GOING TO BE THE ELECTRIFICATION OF FLEET UPDATE FROM CITY OF AUSTIN, FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES AS WELL AS CAT METRO.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

OUR NEXT ITEM

[4. Electrification of Fleet update from the City of Austin Fleet Mobility Services and CapMetro.]

SO WE APPRECIATE HAVING BOTH HERE TODAY.

UM, COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND I BOTH ARE FORTUNATE TO SERVE ON THE BOARD OF CAT METRO AND SO WE KNOW WE'VE SEEN SOME OF THE INFORMATION THAT MAY BE PRESENTED HERE IN A MINUTE IN THAT CAPACITY, BUT ALWAYS LOVE TO CROSS POLLINATE THE INFORMATION THAT'S COMING SO EVERYBODY CAN BE ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT, UM, WHERE THESE UPDATES ARE.

SO WE WILL NOW WELCOME RICK HARLAND, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF FLEET MOBILITY.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ELLIS.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

COUNCIL MEMBERS BOTH PRESENT AND ONLINE.

UH, SO WHAT I THOUGHT I'D DO TODAY IS JUST KINDA LEVEL SET WITH YOU INITIALLY WITH WHERE WE ARE AS A TOTAL FLEET.

UH, WE'RE A FLEET OF 7,500 FLEET ASSETS.

WE DO A LITTLE EVERYTHING WITH FLEET FROM CRADLE TO GRAVE.

UH, WE ALSO MANAGE 42 FUEL SITES ACROSS THE BOARD WHERE WE DO COMPREHENSIVE REPAIR PROGRAM.

WE MANAGE, UH, UH, INVENTORY, UH, AND SUPPLY PLANNING AND FORECASTING FOR ALL OF OUR FUEL.

AND WHAT I WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU, JUST TO KIND OF ORIENT YOU A LITTLE BIT TO IT, IS THE DIVERSIFICATION OF OUR FLEET.

ON THE CHART ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE KIND OF IN SIMPLE TERMS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE DIVERSE ARRAY OF FLEET THAT WE'VE GOT, UH, WITHIN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND THE CHART ON THE RIGHT IS OUR, UH, VEHICLES ARE, EXCUSE ME, OUR FUEL TYPES THAT WE HAVE OUT THERE.

AND IT'S A, UH, YOU CAN SEE WE'VE GOT QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT KINDS OF FUELS.

WE'VE EMBRACED ALL KINDS OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN THE PAST FROM BIODIESEL TO C AND G TO PROPANE, OF COURSE, TO ELECTRIFICATION.

UH, SO WITH THAT SAID, UM, WHAT I THOUGHT I WOULD DO IS WALK YOU THROUGH A LITTLE BIT OF OUR MOBILITY STRATEGY, THE PROCUREMENT PROCESS, ELECTRIFICATION AND ALTERNATIVE FUELS, AND THEN WE'LL WRAP IT UP FROM THERE.

[00:45:02]

FIRST THING IN A, THE WORLD WE'RE IN TODAY IS IN EXTREMELY COMPLICATED AND CHANGING WORLD OF THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY AT THIS POINT.

IT IS A, THE EPITOME OF A GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN.

UH, THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES THAT ARE TAKING PLACE IN THIS AREA.

UH, WE HAVE A MOBILITY STRATEGY THAT FOCUSES ON THIS.

WE FOCUS ON, UH, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY AND EFFICIENCY GENERALLY ACROSS THE BOARD.

AND AT ITS CORE IS REALLY OUR KIND OF, UH, ADVANCED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY WHERE WE'RE LOOKING AT ELECTRIFICATION AND TELEMATICS AND SAFETY TECHNOLOGY FOR OUR DRIVERS AND OF COURSE ALIGNING WITH OUR ENVIRONMENTAL GOALS FOR THE CITY ITSELF.

ALL OF THIS LEADING TOWARDS BEING AS EFFICIENT AS POSSIBLE AND AS PREDICTIVE AS POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE OUR VEHICLES ARE AS, UH, OPERATIONAL OPERATIONALLY SOUND.

SO WHEN WE BUY VEHICLES AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THEY GO THROUGH A PROCESS WITH US.

WE BUY ABOUT 600 VEHICLES A YEAR, UH, BOTH FOR THE GENERAL FUND AND ENTERPRISE FUND.

AND THE FIRST THING WE'RE LOOKING AT IS ARE THEY WE'RE DOWNSIZING, WE'RE RIGHT SIZING, WE'RE LOOKING AT UTILIZATION, WE'RE LOOKING AT TELEMATICS.

WE'RE TRYING TO SEE CAN WE BUY AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE? AND THAT'S THE, THE, THE GATEWAY AT THIS POINT TO ELECTRIFYING THE FLEET.

WE ARE A CENTER LED, TOP DOWN ORGANIZATION AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN THAT WILL IMPLEMENT THE STRATEGIES THAT CITY COUNCIL IS ASKING FOR.

WHEN IT COMES TO ELECTRIFICATION.

WE OPERATE OFF OF A MASTER AGREEMENT THAT IS A FIVE YEAR MASTER AGREEMENT IN FORECAST, AND WE'LL BE PUTTING THAT IN FRONT OF YOU IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS.

THE NEW MASTER AGREEMENT WILL BE COMING UP FOR COUNCIL APPROVAL, AND THEN WE HAND, UH, VEHICLES OVER WHATEVER THE DEPARTMENTS WANT TO.

AND WHAT WE'VE DETERMINED NEEDS TO BE REPLACED TO OUR STRATEGIC SOURCING TEAM THAT WILL GO OUT AND FIND, UH, AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE OPTION OR A HYBRID VEHICLE OPTION.

UH, AND IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR THE CITY, INCLUDING WARRANTY AND SUPPORT AND BEST PRICE FROM AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE STANDPOINT.

AND WHERE WE STAND, WE HAVE 360 BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES TODAY OPERATING.

WE'VE SAVED 6,400 METRIC TONS.

WE'RE SAVING BASICALLY ABOUT $1,200, UH, FOR EACH ONE OF THESE LIGHT DUTY VEHICLES TODAY.

UH, WE HAD A 10 YEAR PLAN THAT STARTED IN 2017 AND, UH, THAT WE, AND OUR ESTIMATION WAS THAT WE WOULD, IF WE BOUGHT 330 BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES, WE WOULD SAVE $3.5 MILLION OVER 10 YEARS.

WE'RE GOING TO EXCEED THAT, UH, SAVINGS GOAL, UH, 12 TO 18 MONTHS AHEAD OF PLAN.

SO THE COST SAVINGS ARE REAL.

UM, WE'VE EXCEEDED THE ACTUAL TARGETED PURCHASE QUANTITY AND OUR SAVINGS REALLY ARE CLOSER TO ABOUT 2.3 MILLION CUMULATIVELY TO DATE.

WE BUILD OUR OWN CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE HERE AT THE CITY OF AUSTIN FOR THE FLEET.

UH, BUT WE ALSO MAKE IT AVAILABLE TO EMPLOYEES AND IT'S, UH, WHO WANT TO CHARGE THEIR VEHICLES THERE.

IT'S PART OF A LARGER CHARGEPOINT, UH, INFRASTRUCTURE BUILD OUT.

UH, WE HAVE 174 CHARGING PORTS.

IT'S KIND OF A TWO TO ONE RATIO OF VEHICLE TWO CHARGING STATION.

THESE ARE ALL LEVEL TWO RIGHT NOW.

UH, THERE WAS A PROGRAM THAT WAS A PLUGIN EVERYWHERE PROGRAM THAT AUSTIN ENERGY HAD THAT'S CHANGED RECENTLY AND NOW IT'S 9 CENTS A KILOWATT HOUR TO CHARGE THOSE VEHICLES.

UH, SO, UH, WE'RE WELL ON OUR PATH TO KIND OF BUILDING OUT MORE INFRASTRUCTURE AND I THINK THAT THAT IS WHAT WE ALL REFER TO AS THE LONG POLE IN THE TENT.

AND WHERE I THINK WE'RE EVOLVING IS TO MORE LEVEL THREE OR DC FAST CHARGE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE FUTURE.

UH, WITH REGARD TO, UH, THE FLEET AND ITS ALIGNMENT WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, UH, WE ARE GOAL AND OUR CURRENT GLIDE PATH IS TO BUY 2,171 VEHICLES OVER THE NEXT 17 YEARS.

UH, THE GOAL IS TO GET TO 18 MILLION MILES OR 40% OF TOTAL MILES TRAVEL.

THE FLEET TRAVELS ABOUT 45 MILLION MILES A YEAR.

18 MILLION MILES IS KIND OF THAT GENERAL THRESHOLD.

WE'LL PROBABLY EXCEED THAT.

UM, THE INCREMENTAL COST TO BUY BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES OVER ICE VEHICLES OR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE VEHICLES OVER THAT SAME TIME PERIOD, IT'S ABOUT 12.7 MILLION.

BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES ARE A LITTLE BIT MORE EXPENSIVE, BUT WE BELIEVE WE'LL REACH PRICE PARITY AND ACTUALLY COSTING LESS PER VEHICLE AND PROBABLY 2031 OR SO, 2032, RIGHT IN THAT TIMEFRAME, WE WOULD HAVE TO INCREASE OUR FLEET, UH, BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE FLEET BY ABOUT 14% PER YEAR.

AGAIN, THIS IS OUR CURRENT GLIDE PATH.

WE'D ALSO, UH, BE BUILDING OUT THE CHARGING INFRAS INFRASTRUCTURE TO SUPPORT THAT, WHICH WE ESTIMATE THE COST ABOUT $11.3 MILLION.

SO THAT'S HOW WE ALIGN WITH OUR CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN.

NOW WE HAVE GOALS TO EXCEED THIS TIMELINE, UH, AND DO IT SOONER.

UH, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ALWAYS LIKE TO TALK ABOUT IS KIND OF WINNING THE CULTURE CHANGE.

WHEN YOU GO INTO A ROOM OF A THOUSAND PEOPLE, YOU WALK OUT WITH A THOUSAND DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON WHETHER A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE IS

[00:50:01]

A GOOD THING OR A BAD THING.

ANYBODY THAT'S EVER DRIVEN ONE HAS REALLY ENJOYED IT.

THEY DO, THEY DO DRIVE DIFFERENTLY AND THEY ARE, THEY'RE A LOT OF FUN TO DRIVE.

WE'VE GOT A 80% PARTICIPATION RATE ACROSS THE CITY.

THAT'S THE NUMBER OF DEPARTMENTS THAT ARE PARTICIPATING IN THE BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROGRAM.

SURPRISINGLY ENOUGH, UH, ALMOST 20% OF THE PARTICIPANTS, UH, INVENTORY OF BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES IS OUR PUBLIC SAFETY DEPARTMENTS.

UH, WE'RE WELL FUNDED IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET AND FUTURE BUDGETS TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON OUR BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE PROGRAM.

UH, WITH THAT SAID, I'LL KIND OF MOVE TO WHERE WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN ACCELERATING OUR GOALS OF 40% OF VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED.

AND THIS IS OUR CHEVY BLAZER EV POLICE PURSUIT PILOT PROGRAM.

AND A POLICE PURSUIT VEHICLE IS A VEHICLE THAT'S BEEN CERTIFIED ON A MICHIGAN TEST TRACK THAT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR PUBLIC SAFETY, OUR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.

SO IT TESTS THE STRESS OF THE VEHICLE, IT SENDS IT AROUND A TRACK.

YOU'VE GOT A HARSH TURNING, HARSH ACCELERATION BRAKING, THEN THEY LOOK AT THE VEHICLE AND SEE WHAT KIND OF WEAR AND TEAR HAD TO DO IT IN A CERTAIN TIMEFRAME.

IT'S GOTTA MEET THESE QUALIFICATIONS TO BE CERTIFIED.

SO GENERAL MOTORS HAS CERTIFIED A CHEVY BLAZER TO MEET THIS GOAL.

AND, UM, SO THIS IS A PILOT PROGRAM BETWEEN, UH, A PD AND US.

UH, IT DOES 130 MILES AN HOUR, 498 HORSEPOWER, 250 MILE RANGE ON IT.

IT'S GOT AN EIGHT YEAR WARRANTY ON THE BATTERY, KIND OF MEETS ALL THE CRITERIA.

UM, IT'S A FAIRLY, UH, LENGTHY PILOT PROGRAM BECAUSE INTRODUCING BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES INTO LAW ENFORCEMENT, UH, IS A COMPLEX PROCESS, UH, NEEDS VERY, UH, UH, NEEDS QUITE A BIT OF SCRUTINY.

UM, WE ARE COM RIGHT CURRENTLY IN PHASE THREE AND PHASE FIVE SIMULTANEOUSLY.

RIGHT NOW WITH THIS PROJECT TIMELINE, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT IN PHASE THREE THAT WE'VE ALREADY GOT $3.2 MILLION.

IT WAS ADDED TO THE FY 25 BUDGET TO BUILD DC FAST CHARGE FOR THIS PARTICULAR PROJECT.

AND OTHERS.

UH, SO WE'RE BUILDING THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE IN PHASE THREE AND PHASE FIVE.

THESE VEHICLES HAVE ALREADY BEEN BUILT AND WE'RE ACTUALLY LOOKING AT, UH, THE DESIGN OF THE ELECTRONICS AND HOW THEY'RE FITTING IN AND HOW THEY'RE GOING TO MOUNT INSIDE THE VEHICLES.

IT'S JUST A DIFFERENT FOOTPRINT.

THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM OF THESE VEHICLES IS DIFFERENT AND IT'S NEW FOR EVERYBODY.

SO WE'RE CURRENTLY IN PHASE FIVE.

WE'LL HAVE THESE VEHICLES ON THE GROUND BY THE END OF THE CALENDAR YEAR.

AND IN 2025 WE EXPECT, UH, TO HAVE, UH, A PD UH, RUNNING THESE VEHICLES DOWNTOWN.

AND WE'LL, BOTH BETWEEN AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, AND THE FLEET MOBILITY SERVICES, UH, SERVICE CENTER OPERATIONS WILL EVALUATE THE DURABILITY AND RELIABILITY AND CHARGE TIMES AND HOW THEY HOLD UP IN THE ENVIRONMENT THAT WE OPERATE 'EM IN, IN A TRUE LAW ENFORCEMENT SCENARIO.

SO 2025 IS KIND OF THAT TEST GROUND, UH, TIMEFRAME.

AND THEN BY, UH, THE FOURTH QUARTER OF 2025 GOING INTO THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2026, UH, WE'LL DO A POSTMORTEM ON THAT.

WE'LL EVALUATE THOSE VEHICLES, DETERMINE WHAT'S GOOD, WHAT'S BAD, UH, ANY KIND OF GAP ANALYSIS ON THESE.

AND THEN JUST IN TIME FOR OUR 2026 BUDGET TO, SO WE CAN SEE IF WE WANT TO INCREASE OUR RATE OF ADOPTION THERE.

AT THIS POINT, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ALL BY ITSELF IS 40% OF THE TOTAL MILES TRAVELED IN THE CITY.

UH, IN THE PRIOR SLIDE WHEN WE ALIGNED WITH THE CLIMATE EQUITY PLAN, WE DID NOT INCLUDE THESE VEHICLES IN THAT TIMELINE.

SO WE HAVE A POTENTIAL TO CUT THE KIND OF TIMELINE FOR INCREASING BETTER ELECTRIC VEHICLE MILES TRAVELED SUBSTANTIALLY WITH THIS PROGRAM IF IT'S TRULY SUCCESSFUL.

UH, NEXT SLIDE.

I WOULD BE REMISS TO NOT MENTION SOME OF THE, UH, REAL ISSUES AND CONCERNS THAT FACE THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY.

WE KIND OF TALKED ABOUT IT PREVIOUSLY.

THERE ARE AC MACROECONOMIC ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE, COST OF CAPITAL.

WE DO DEAL WITH PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES WHO, UH, ARE LOOKING TO MAKE A PROFIT AND, AND STAY IN BUSINESS.

UH, THERE'S SOME NEED TO REALLY GET DC FAST CHARGE OUT THERE AND GET, UH, GET MORE CHARGING STATIONS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC WHERE IT'S MORE LIKE, NORMALLY LIKE YOU FILL UP THE GAS TANK ON YOUR VEHICLE AS OPPOSED TO GOING AND PARKING YOUR VEHICLE AND HAVING IT SIT THERE FOR 24 HOURS TO GET A FULL CHARGE.

UM, SO FORTUNATELY, LIKE I SAID, WE'RE FUNDED TO PUT IN A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE DC FAST CHARGE OVERLAY OVER THE CITY TODAY FOR THE CITY FLEET.

UH, SO THANK YOU TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT AND BUDGET OFFICE FOR ALLOWING US TO, UH, RUN WITH THAT.

UH, THERE'S ALSO SOME CHANGES IN BATTERY TECHNOLOGY, UH, MOVING FROM LITHIUM ION TO SOLID STATE BATTERIES, WHICH COULD CUT DOWN THE TIME IT TAKES TO CHARGE AND THE WEIGHT OF THE BATTERIES THEMSELVES.

AND OF COURSE WE'RE DEALING WITH AN ARRAY OF VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS AND, AND THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THEIR FLEET AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA BUILD AND WHAT ARE THEY GONNA SUPPORT.

ULTIMATELY, THEY HAVE TO BE THERE FOR THE LONG HAUL.

FOR US, WHEN WE BUY VEHICLES AND PUT 'EM INTO THE FLEET, THEY'VE GOTTA LAST THE ENTIRE LIFE

[00:55:01]

CYCLE OF THE, OF THE VEHICLE.

AND IF IT BREAKS DOWN, THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE THE PARTS AND THE EXPERTISE TO REPAIR THAT.

UM, ADDITIONALLY, YOU KNOW, WITH BATTERY TECHNOLOGY AND BATTERIES, GENERALLY THE MINING OPERATIONS, SUPPLY CHAINS, THE BATTERY ASSEMBLY FACILITIES, JUST ALL STAFF HAVE TO BE STOOD UP AND THAT SUPPLY CHAIN IS BEING WORKED THROUGH NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY TODAY.

SO A GOOD NEWS STORY TO KIND OF FINISH UP IS THAT, UH, THE CITY OF AUSTIN'S FLEET IS UH, UH, KIND OF AN AMAZING STORY WHEN IT COMES TO ALTERNATIVE FUELS.

IT'S, UH, UH, IT'S GROWN 54% OVER THE LAST 12 YEARS.

IT'S, UH, WE USE A MILLION MORE GALLONS OF FUEL AT, UH, A YEAR AND, UH, CARBON EMISSIONS ARE 10% LOWER THAN THEY WERE IN 2007.

SO WE HIT PEAK CARBON OUTPUT IN 2007 AND HAVE GROWN THE FLEET 54%.

AND THAT'S BEEN DONE LARGELY BECAUSE OF IMPROVEMENT IN ENGINE TECHNOLOGY.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY YOU GOTTA BUY NEW VEHICLES AND REPLACE THE OLD INEFFICIENT VEHICLES.

WE'VE USED A LOT OF GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALMOST $10 MILLION AND GRANT, UH, MONEY TO REPLACE THOSE INEFFICIENT VEHICLES.

AND OF COURSE THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE FUELS THAT'S BEEN EMBRACED BY THE CITY OF AUSTIN.

AND YOU CAN'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU OWN YOUR OWN FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE.

AGAIN, WE ISSUE OUT ABOUT 5.6 MILLION GALLONS A YEAR AND WE DO ABOUT A THOUSAND TRANSACTIONS A DAY IN FUEL.

UM, I JUST WANNA SAY THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.

UM, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY OUR MOBILITY STRATEGY IS DRIVING INNOVATION, UH, SUSTAINABILITY AND EFFICIENCY.

WHAT YOU SEE ON THE SCREEN THERE IS OUR, UH, ACTUALLY OUR SOLAR, UH, LEVEL TWO CHARGING STATION, UH, CHARGING, UH, ONE OF OUR FORD LIGHTNING PICKUP TRUCKS.

AND THAT IS OVER AT THE, UH, OUTSIDE OF UH, AUSTIN PUBLIC HEALTH IN UH, MUNICIPAL COURT.

IF YOU EVER WANT TO DRIVE BY AND TAKE A LOOK AT IT, BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE.

VERY NICE.

DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK SO.

I HAVE, I HAVE A QUESTION.

IN OUR PLANNING, IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF, YOU KNOW, WHICH VEHICLES ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE TRANSFERRED OVER? I KNOW THAT THERE'S JUST SOME, LIKE FOR INSTANCE, A AUSTIN RESOURCE BRUSH PICKUP VEHICLE, RIGHT? THAT DOESN'T STRIKE ME AS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE CONVERTED.

'CAUSE I DUNNO THAT THAT PRODUCT'S ON THE MARKET.

DO WE HAVE ANYWHERE WHERE THAT ASSESSMENT'S BEEN DONE REGARDING PUBLIC SAFETY VEHICLES VERSUS, YOU KNOW, OUR TRANSPORTATION, UM, MOBILITY OFFICERS THAT ISSUE PARKING TICKETS? I KNOW THOSE ARE ELECTRIC.

IS THERE A BREAKDOWN OF KIND OF WHICH ONES WE HAVE IN OUR, OUR REPERTOIRE, OUR, OUR PORTFOLIO THAT JUST AREN'T OPTIONS YET UNTIL SOME NEW ITEM IS DEVELOPED.

THAT'S A, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION, UH, AND VERY INSIGHTFUL AS WELL.

UH, SO WE DO, UH, WE, WE ABSOLUTELY LOOKED ACROSS THE ENTIRE INVENTORY OF THE FLEET AND LOOKED AT EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT.

WHAT YOU'RE REALLY LOOKING AT IS YOUR LIGHT AND MEDIUM DUTY VEHICLES.

THAT'S GONNA BE YOUR MOST OBVIOUS, UH, TRANSITION OPPORTUNITY.

SO WE'VE, THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE 2,171 VEHICLES THAT WE'RE GONNA REPLACE, AND WE KNOW WHAT YEAR THEY'RE GONNA REPLACE.

WE KNOW WHEN THEY'RE ORGANICALLY TO BE REPLACED.

OF COURSE, WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO AHEAD AND DO EARLY REPLACEMENT ON 'EM AS WELL, IF WE WANNA MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT PLAN.

BUT, UH, YES, SET ANALYSIS HAS BEEN DONE.

I DID PRESENT THAT AT THE AUDIT FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING, UH, BACK IN THE SPRING.

WELL, HELLO COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

AND I COULD SHARE THAT WITH YOU AGAIN.

I'D BE HAPPY TO SEND IT OVER TO YOU.

OH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT IF YOU COULD JUST POINT ME TO EXACTLY WHICH MEETING DATE TO LOOK UP.

I'LL GO.

YEAH, I CAN GO FIND IT MYSELF, BUT I KNOW WE CAN'T ATTEND EVERYONE.

, DO YOU HAVE A QUESTION YOU THOUGHT OF? UH, JUST REAL, UH, UH, QUICK.

I, I SAW MR. KY, I THINK HE MUST HAVE SNUCK AWAY ME, BUT, UH, HE, HE'S JUST RIGHT BEHIND.

OH, THERE HE IS.

ALL RIGHT.

HE, I WAS JUST WONDERING, UH, WAS WE GONNA HAVE A COUPLE METRO, UH, UH, ASPECT TO THIS PRESENTATION? OR WE HAVE A, A FULL THAT'S, THAT'S THE NEXT PHASE.

SO I'M GONNA QUESTIONS, THEN I'M GONNA PRESENT, PRESENT NOW.

I'M GONNA HOLD THEM AND SEE IF, UM, COOS KOWSKI PRESENTS THAT.

I, I THINK THAT DOES IT FOR OUR QUESTIONS TODAY.

WE APPRECIATE THE INFORMATION AND THANKS FOR THE WORK YOU'RE DOING.

THE NEXT PHASE, AS PROMISED, IS FROM CAT METRO.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY AT MOBILITY COMMITTEE.

WE HAVE COO ANDY KOSKI WITH US.

UM, AT, UM, MY NAME IS ANDY KOSKI.

I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER OVER CAP METRO.

UM, FIRST THERE, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF TALK ABOUT CAP METRO'S, UM, ELECTRIC FLEET OF LATE, AND I, I JUST WANTED TO START BY REASSURING THE COMMITTEE THAT CAP METRO'S COMMITMENTS HAVE NOT CHANGED WHAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THE COMMUNITY AND, AND THIS COM AND WHAT WE PRESENTED TO THIS COMMITTEE IS OUR COMMITMENTS HAVE NOT CHANGED TODAY.

I WANT TO TOUCH ON THOSE COMMITMENTS, TOUCH ON OUR TECHNOLOGY OF CHOICE STRATEGY THAT WE'RE MOVING TO, AND WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US MOVING FORWARD.

CAP METRO SUSTAINABILITY COMMITMENT.

THE MOST ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY THING OUR COMMUNITY CAN DO IS GET OUT OF A CAR AND GET INTO A BUS.

UM, THE SECOND THING WE CAN DO AS CAP METRO IS MAKE THAT TRANSIT RIDE AS CLEAN AS WE POSSIBLY CAN MAKE

[01:00:01]

IT.

THE COMBINATION OF TWO THINGS EFFECTUATE AND ALLOW US TO IMPROVE THE, UM, AND, AND CLEAN AIR.

OUR, UM, SUSTAINABILITY VISION PLAN IS, UM, INCLUDES A GOAL OF REACHING NET ZERO CARBON EMISSIONS BY 2040.

AND, UH, WE ALSO HAVE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'RE DOING OUTSIDE OF THE FLEET TO REACH THAT SUSTAINABILITY GOAL.

FROM ENERGY CONSERVATION TO, UM, WATER AND NATURAL WORLD STUFF, GREEN BUILDING AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHANGES, ACTIVE TRANSPORTATION, THERE'S A LOT GOING ON THERE.

OUTSIDE OF THE FLEET, OBVIOUSLY THE FLEET IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ELEMENT.

UM, A NUMBER OF MONTHS AGO, WE'VE ENGAGED WITH, UM, TEXAS TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE, THE TEXAS A AND M TO GIVE A HELP US GO AND GET A GOOD IDEA OF THE STATE OF THE ELECTRIC BUS, UM, BATTERY, ELECTRIC BUS INDUSTRY, AND HOW THAT IMPACTS CAP METRO IN OUR PLANTS.

A LITTLE HISTORY ON A BEV, UM, BUS MARKET SINCE 2021, BACK IN 2021, UH, A TRANSIT AGENCY HAD SIX CHOICES FOR OEMS TO BUILD OR, OR PURCHASE A BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE WITH PROTERRA, UM, PRETTY MUCH OWNING MOST OF THE MARKET AT 55%.

PRA ONLY BUILDS BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

THEY DON'T BUILD ANY DIESEL OR ANY OTHER TYPE OF VEHICLES.

BUT BATTERY ELECTRIC, UM, BYD AT 24% NEW FLYER INDUSTRY, WHICH IS PROBABLY THE LARGEST MANUFACTURER IN THE STATES AT 20% AS WE MOVE TO 2022, UM, P'S, HOW MUCH BATERA WAS BUILDING THAT REDUCED A LITTLE BIT.

SOME OTHER PLAYERS, UM, GILLIG INCREASED.

ITS, ITS, UM, ITS IMPACT ON THE INDUSTRY, BUT THE BIG CHANGES STARTED HAPPENING AS WE APPROACH 2024.

UM, WE STARTED WITH SIX MANUFACTURERS IN 2024, WE'RE NOW DOWN TO THREE BYD HAS LEFT THE US MARKET.

UM, AND A, A NUMBER OF THE OTHERS, THERE WAS TWO MORE, AND WHERE THE OTHERS HAVE ACTUALLY LEFT THE US MARKET AND OR CLOSED AND NOT, ARE NOT PRODUCING BATTERY LIFTING VEHICLES ANYMORE.

AND SO THAT'S REALLY REDUCED THE AMOUNT OF MANUFACTURERS WE CAN LEAN INTO.

A, TO GET THE VEHICLES, BUT ALSO TO SUPPORT THE VEHICLES AND EVERYTHING ELSE.

LET'S GO THROUGH THE TWO MAIN PLAYERS AND GIVE YOU A FEEL FOR, UM, WHAT'S GOING ON AT CAT METRO.

OUR ELECTRIC FLEET BUS FLEET INCLUDES TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLE TYPES OF TWO DIFFERENT OEMS. WE HAVE 46 BERTERA BUSES.

THESE NUMBERS ARE, OR WHEN I SAY 46, BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE HAVE BUSES COMING IN NOW, WE'LL HAVE 46 TERRO AND WHAT, AND THAT WORD PHOENIX I'LL GET TO IN A SECOND.

AND THEN WE HAVE 58 NEW FLYER BUSES, UM, COMING IN IN THE FALL OF 2023.

ONE OF THE BIG IMPACTS TO THE, UM, UM, BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLE OEM MARKET IS THAT PROTERRA, THE BIGGEST PLAYER, DECLARED CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY.

THE COMPANY WAS THEN, WAS THEN SPLIT INTO THREE DIFFERENT ENTITIES.

UM, ONE PHOENIX MOTOR CARS, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ONE THAT BUILDS THE BUSES.

AND THEN A COMPANY CALLED CANBERRA, WHICH DOES THE, THE CHARGING SIDE OF THE BUSINESS.

AND THEN VOLVO, WHICH DOES THE BATTERY SIDE TO THE BUSINESS.

ALL THREE OF THESE HAVE NOT BEEN FULLY STOOD UP YET.

THERE'S STILL A LITTLE BIT, UM, UNCERTAINTY.

WE HAVE CONCERNS AND UNCERTAINTY WITH PHOENIX MOTOR CARS AS IT RELATES TO OUR WARRANTY, OUR SERVICE, OUR PARTS, AND OUR SOFTWARE.

AND THAT'S ON 46 OF OUR BUSES.

THE REST OF THE INDUSTRY NEW FLYER, THEY'RE, THEY ARE THE LARGEST BUS MANUFACTURING IN NORTH AMERICA.

THEY, AS WITH EVERY BUS, OEM, THE REASON WHY WE DROPPED FROM SIX TO THREE, IT'S BEEN A TOUGH MARKET.

THE PANDEMIC REALLY IMPACTED THE BUS MARKET.

UM, BUSES ARE SPECIALTY VEHICLES.

THEY'RE VERY COMPLICATED TO BUILD.

THERE IS A, A REAL SMALL PORTION OF OEMS OUT THERE TO DO IT.

THE BUS INDUSTRY HAS BEEN VERY SLOW TO RECOVER FROM THE SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES.

AND THEN AS WE MOVE TO, UM, UM, AND, AND PURCHASE BUS, UH, BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES BROUGHT HIM INTO SERVICE AND GET HIM HERE IN HE IN AUSTIN, WE REALIZED ALSO HOW BIG INFRASTRUCTURE IS A COMPONENT OF THIS.

UM, ARE THE INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIRED FOR A, UH, A LARGE VEHICLE OR HEAVY DUTY VEHICLE IS A, A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN THAT OF, OF A CAR OR, OR A SMALL TRUCK.

THE RELIABILITY OF THAT CHARGER EQUIPMENT HAS NOT BEEN WHERE WE LIKE IT.

AND THERE ARE REALLY LONG LEAD TIME SYSTEM CRITICAL ELEMENTS LIKE, UM, UM, JUST THE CHARGER THEMSELVES ALONG LEAD ITEMS. THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE.

NOW, LET'S LOOK AHEAD SIMILAR, WE EVEN CHOSE THE SAME COLOR, THE BLUE, SIMILAR ISSUES OR, OR THINGS THAT WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT AS WE LOOK AT BATTERY, ELECTRIC PERFORMANCE AND AIR AVAILABILITY.

ONE, THE WORKFORCE.

IT'S A DIFFERENT ANIMAL TO A MECHANIC.

A DIESEL MECHANIC CAN CLOSE THEIR EYES AND THEY CAN SEE HOW AN ENGINE WORKS.

THEY HAVE TO GET THAT KNOWLEDGE, GET THAT EXPERIENCE, AND GET THAT TRAINING TO DO THAT WITH ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

SO IT TAKES THEM A, FINDING THE TECHNICIANS IS ONE ISSUE.

B TRAINING OUR EXISTING TECHNICIANS IS, IS, IS IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW AND WHAT WE'RE DOING.

UM,

[01:05:01]

BUSES ALSO SPEND UP TO 16 HOURS ON ROUTE.

UM, A RANGE OF HIS TYPICAL BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES ABOUT EIGHT HOURS.

AND SO IT REALLY DOESN'T, AT THIS POINT, FIT INTO HOW WE OPERATE ON A DAILY BASIS.

IT'S NOT THE SAME AS ELECTRIC CAR.

YOU CAN'T CHARGE THE BEB THE SAME WAY THEY TAKE SPECIALIZED CUTTING, CUTTING EDGE EQUIPMENT.

THE TECHNOLOGY IS MATURING THOUGH, AND IT MIGHT NOT BE AS RELIABLE NOW WITH THE TECHNOLOGY AND BATTERY.

TECHNOLOGY IS MATURING AS THEY MATURE.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS MATURING IS ALSO THE FACT THAT WE'RE, THEY'RE HARDER TO FIX AT THIS POINT, BUT AS WE GET EXPERIENCE WITH THEM, AS WE WORK WITH THEM, AS WE WORK WITH THE OEMS, THAT'S PART OF THE MATURING OF THE TECHNOLOGY.

GETTING TO THE POINT WHERE YOU CAN FIX AN ELECTRIC BUS AS QUICK AS YOU CAN FIX A DIESEL BUS.

UM, IF YOU LOOK AT THEIR RELIABILITY ON THE STREET, THEY ACTUALLY PROBABLY HAVE ISSUES ABOUT THE SAME RATE AS A, AN EXISTING BUS.

WHAT WE'RE FINDING IS THERE, WE HAVE VEHICLE AVAILABILITY ISSUES WITH THEM BECAUSE WHEN YOU GET 'EM IN A SHOP AND YOU TRY TO FIX 'EM, A, IT TAKES A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO FIGURE IT OUT.

B, SOMETIMES YOU DON'T GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME.

EVEN THE OEM AND PARTS HAVE BEEN AN ISSUE, YOU PUT THAT ALL TOGETHER AND I JUST CAN'T GET THE BUS BACK UP AND WE CAN'T GET THE BUS BACK TO WHERE WE CAN USE IT IN A, IN A REASONABLE FASHION.

SO THE VEHICLE AVAILABILITY HAS BEEN A, BEEN A CONCERN.

GIVE YOU A ROUGH IDEA OF OUR FLEET.

UM, CAT METRO HAS A FLEET OF FOUR 60 FULL SIZE BUSES.

UM, AVERAGE AGE RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT EIGHT.

A USE OF LIFE ON A BUS IS 12 TO 14.

THAT MEANS WE REPLACED ANYWHERE IN THE 12 TO 14 RANGE.

LIKE I SAID, PRESENTLY, WE HAVE A LARGE ORDER OF 92 ELECTRIC BUSES.

THEY'RE DOING IT YEARS END.

AND OUR GOAL, WE'RE GONNA SLIGHTLY CHANGE OUR PURCHASE PLANS A LITTLE BIT MOVING FORWARD.

WE LIKE TO BUY ONE 12 OF A FLEET ANY GIVEN YEAR.

IT GIVES YOU A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS OUTSIDE OF, UM, RELIABILITY OF HOW YOU SET UP YOUR FLEET, LONG-TERM FLEET MAINTENANCE PLAN.

BUT ALSO AS YOU INTRODUCE A TECHNOLOGY, I'M INTRODUCING 35 INSTEAD OF UH, 92.

AND I THINK MOVING TO THAT GIVES US SOME FLEXIBILITY.

THAT'S PART OF THE TECHNOLOGY OF CHOICE APPROACH.

IT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO ABSORB TECHNOLOGY, UM, AT, IN A FASHION IN WHICH YOU'RE NOT BITING OFF TOO MUCH.

AND OUR GOAL, OBVIOUSLY WOULD BE A, A FLEET AGENT OF ANYWHERE OF SIX TO SEVEN YEARS.

I, UM, WITH THE PURCHASE OF THESE 90, UM, 92 AND GETTING THIS UP TO 104, UH, WE, WE KIND OF IN A LEAD AS FAR AS HAVING A GREEN FLEET.

25% OF OUR FLEET WE'RE PRETTY, IS, IS GONNA BE BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES OR ZERO EMISSION VEHICLES AS RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF PUBLIC FUNDS.

WE WE'RE GONNA KEEP OUR, WE KEEP OUR BUSES 10 TO 12 YEARS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE'RE LOOKING AT IS IF WE HAVE A SUSTAINABILITY GOAL THAT GETS US TO ZERO ZERO AT 20, 40 BUSES WE BUY TODAY, WELL, THEY WON'T BE HERE AT 2040.

THEY'LL BE RETIRED.

SO WE HAVE SOME ROOM TO LET TECHNOLOGY MATURE.

WE HAVE SOME ROOM TO LEARN FROM IT, BUT WE ALSO HAVE SOME ROOM TO KEEP PURSUING OUR COMMITMENTS.

OUR TECHNOLOGY OR CHOICE STRATEGY ALLOWS US THE FLEXIBILITY TO LOOK AT DIFFERENT SOLUTIONS.

NOT JUST SAY WE'RE GONNA ALL BUY BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

WE'RE GONNA LOOK AT WHAT'S OUT THERE IN THE MARKET BY THE BEST TECHNOLOGY THAT MEETS OUR SERVICE NEEDS AND GOALS INCLUDES THINGS LIKE BUYING HYBRID ELECTRIC IN THIS, IN THIS PERIOD OF TIME.

UM, LOOKING AT HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS, HYDROGEN FUEL CELLS BETTER MATCH THE DUTY CYCLES OF A BUS.

HOW WE USE A BUS, HOW THE INDUSTRY TYPICALLY USES A BUS.

IT CARRY PRETTY MUCH CARRIES WITH IT ACHAR A GENERATOR, BE IT THE FUEL CELL, AND YOU CAN KEEP IT OUT THERE 14 TO 15 TO 16 HOURS THAT WE TYPICALLY KEEP A BUS OUT THERE.

UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR NEXT, UM, VEHICLE PROCUREMENT BECAUSE WE HAVE SUCH A LARGE PROCUREMENT NOW TO ARRIVE IN A 2026 TIMEFRAME, AND WE'RE MAKING DECISIONS OVER THE NEXT COMING MONTHS OF EXACTLY WHAT TECHNOLOGY THAT'LL BE.

BUT, UM, IT WOULD MOST LIKELY BE HYBRID ELECTRIC AT THIS TIME.

WANNA ENSURE OUR CUSTOMERS THAT YOU WILL SEE COMING THIS JANUARY, BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES IN SERVICE.

YOU WILL SEE 'EM OUT IN THE STREET.

UM, AND WE'RE GONNA RUN THEM AND WE'RE GONNA RUN 'EM FOR 12 YEARS.

UH, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BBBS.

WE HAVE, WE WILL CONTINUE TO BUILD OUT THE, UM, INFRASTRUCTURE WE NEED.

UM, ONE OF THE MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE COMPONENTS YOU'LL SEE OVER IN OVER THE NEXT YEAR IS END LINE CHARGING ON OUR PV AND EXPO SERVICE THAT WE'RE STARTING IN IN JANUARY.

THAT WILL ALLOW US TO UTILIZE THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES ON THAT SERVICE END LINE CHARGING ALLOWS YOU TO TOP THE VEHICLE OFF WHILE IT'S OUT THERE AND EXTEND ITS RANGE OVER, OVER THE DAY.

I DO WANT TO END BY GOING BACK TO THE BEGINNING.

IF YOU ALLOW ME, THERE'S TWO ELEMENTS TO, UM,

[01:10:01]

PUBLIC TRANSIT HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON CLEAN AIR.

ONE IS OBVIOUSLY TO GET THE BUS OUT THERE.

THE OTHER WAY IS TO MAKE IT AS CLEAN AS POSSIBLE.

IF WE CAN'T RELIABLY GET THE ELECTRIC VEHICLES OUT THERE THE WAY WE NEED THEM, ALL THOSE PEOPLE STANDING NEXT TO THAT BUS WILL STILL BE IN THEIR CARS.

THE TWO HAVE TO FIT TOGETHER.

WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RELIABLY PUT SERVICE ON THE STREET IN ORDER FOR US TO EFFECTUATE A CHANGE TO CLEAN AIR.

UM, OPEN FOR ANY QUESTIONS.

THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION QUESTIONS.

COUNCIL MEMBER VELA.

UH, VERY INFORMATIVE.

AGAIN, I KNOW WE'VE, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS AT, UH, A COUPLE TIMES, CAPITAL METRO.

UH, AND I I JUST WANT TO REEMPHASIZE THAT THE BIGGEST ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT THAT TRANSIT PUBLIC TRANSIT CAN HAVE IS TO GET PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR SINGLE OCCUPANCY VEHICLES.

UH, THAT IS, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, THE ABSOLUTE NUMBER ONE GOAL.

TO ME, THE TYPE OF FUEL THAT THE BUS USES IS, IS AN IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION, BUT IS A SECONDARY CONSIDERATION.

UH, WE HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE RELIABILITY OF THE, OF THE SYSTEM.

YOU KNOW, PEOPLE HAVE TO REALLY, UH, EXPECT AND, AND RELY ON THE BUS TO BE THERE WHEN IT'S THERE.

AND RIGHT NOW, JUST AGAIN FROM THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD FROM, FROM THE PRESENTATION THAT YOU JUST GAVE, GIVEN THE STATE OF THE MARKET, UH, I'M GLAD THAT WE HAVE INVESTED IN THIS CONTINGENT OF, UH, ELECTRIC BUSES.

LET'S USE THEM, LET'S LEARN FROM THEM.

BUT I DO COMPLETELY SUPPORT CAPITAL METRO'S DECISION TO KIND OF HIT PAUSE ON THE CONTINUED INVESTMENT UNTIL WE CAN DIGEST AND, AND AND UNDERSTAND, UM, THE, UH, THE, THE, THE SITUATION WITH, UH, THE FLEET A LITTLE BIT BETTER UNTIL WE GET THE MECHANICS TRAINED.

AND UNTIL WE KNOW REALLY WHAT THE STATE OF THE MARKET IS, WHERE THE, YOU KNOW, UH, PARTS AND, AND AND WHATNOT, UH, AS YOU MENTIONED, UM, NOW, NOW PLEASE, WE MIGHT BE POISONING SOME INVESTMENT OR DOLLARS, BUT WE ARE LOOKING AND MAKE, WE WILL FOCUS ON WHAT IS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET, WHAT TECHNOLOGIES WE CAN BRING IN AND TRY.

MM-HMM, , THERE ARE A NUMBER OF TRANSIT AGENCIES THAT STARTED AT BATTERY ELECTRIC AND NOW ARE DOING HYDROGEN AS WELL.

UM, AND SO EVERYTHING THAT WE DO MOVING FORWARD WILL HAVE THE EYE OF, WE NEED TO STILL MAKE THAT 2040 GOAL BECAUSE IT'S OUR, IT'S OUR GOAL, IT'S OUR COMMITMENT.

AND SO, UM, DECISIONS THAT WE MAKE THROUGH THE NEXT COUPLE YEARS ARE ALL FOCUSED ON MAKING SURE WE MAKE THAT 2040 GOAL.

AND, AND WITH THE PLEASANT VALLEY, UH, AND THE, UH, COLONY PARK, UH, UH, ROUTES, THE CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE WILL BE THERE TO SUPPORT THE BATTERY ELECTRIC BUSES.

IS THAT CORRECT? UM, IN THE START OF JANUARY, WE'RE GONNA START, WE WILL USE ELECTRIC BUSES, BUT NOT ON THOSE ROUTES BECAUSE THE UNDERLY CHARGING IS NOT IN PLACE YET.

, I COULD NOT EFFECTIVELY UTILIZE BUSES THAT HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE GARAGE AT EIGHT HOURS AND CHARGE.

WE, WE WOULD NEED DOUBLE THE AMOUNT OF BUSES AND WE REALLY, IT WE WOULD BE SETTING OURSELVES UP TO FAIL.

SO THE PLAN IS, IS TO ACTUALLY START THAT SERVICE WITH DIESEL EQUIPMENT, BUT PUT THOSE ELECTRIC BUSES OUT ON ANY ROUTES THAT WE CAN POSSIBLY PUT 'EM OUT ON AN EIGHT HOUR AND WE HAVE AN A PORTION OF ROUTES THAT WE CAN PUT THEM OUT.

BUT THE PV NPO IS A LONG ROUTE AND IT DOES IN IT, FOR IT TO EFFECTIVELY WORK, IT NEEDS END THE LINE CHARGING.

IT NEEDS TO BE ABLE TO TOP THAT BUS OFF ON THE END IN ORDER TO KEEP IT GOING.

AND I KNOW ON THOSE TWO ROUTES, UH, AND I'M SORRY, CALLED THE CONY PARK, BUT IT'S A EXPO, UH, UH, ROUTE.

UH, THERE ARE, UH, PARKING RIDES AT THE END THAT ARE GONNA HAVE THE, UH, CHARGING STATIONS YES.

BUILT IN.

WHAT, WHAT, AND I'M, I'M SORRY TO, TO HIT YOU WITH THIS.

YOU MAY NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD, BUT HOW, WHAT ARE THE CAPITAL COSTS INVOLVED OF INSTALLING THE, UH, END OF LINE CHARGING RIDES? 'CAUSE THAT WOULD NOT BE PRESENT IN, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR A DIESEL OR A, UH, HYDROGEN POWERED, AND I HAVE TO APOLOGIZE SAYING I DO NOT HAVE THE NUMBER OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.

RIGHT.

AND, AND I, WE CAN OBVIOUSLY GET THAT TO YOU VERY RELATIVELY QUICKLY.

AND THEN THAT'S JUST ANOTHER CONCERN, UH, IN THE SENSE OF IF WE ARE GOING TO NEED THESE END OF THE ROUTE, UH, YOU CHARGING STOPS TO TOP 'EM OFF AND KEEP 'EM GOING ALL DAY, WHAT ARE GONNA BE THE CAPITAL COSTS INVOLVED? AGAIN, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL TRYING TO, YOU KNOW, MAXIMIZE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE, THE PUBLIC DOLLARS THAT, THAT THAT WE SPEND.

AND, AND THAT IS A CONCERN WHERE, YOU KNOW, IF WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO SPEND, YOU KNOW, 4 MILLION, $6 MILLION ON, UH, CHARGING STATION, THE ELECTRIFICATION, A LOT OF THESE PLACES THEY DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY, WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, REALLY KIND OF EXPAND THE, THE, THE BUILD IT OUT.

UH, THAT IS A, A VERY, A VERY SERIOUS CONCERN.

YY OUTSIDE OF THE BUSES THAT, UM, WE PURCHASE OVER A HUNDRED BUSES.

I MEAN, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OVER 104 BUSES.

UM, OBVIOUSLY PV EXPOS, THOSE TWO ROUTES DON'T USE ALL THOSE BUSES.

WE'RE GONNA BE PUTTING THEM OUT ON THE STREET ON ALL ON, ON ALL THE, THROUGHOUT AUSTIN AND ALL DIFFERENT ROUTES.

WHAT WE'RE GONNA DISCOVER REAL QUICK IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID, WHERE WE'RE GONNA NEED THAT OTHER INVESTMENT.

TO WHERE WE ARE PUTTING ENDLINE CHARGING, BUT THERE'S GONNA BE A NEED SOMEWHERE AS WE COME UP TO SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY USE THIS BEB IF WE HAD UNDERLYING CHARGING AT DISLOCATION.

, YOU KNOW, WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO TRY TO TIE BACK SOME OF THOSE ROUTES

[01:15:01]

AND SO THAT'S KIND OF, KIND OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO CONTINUALLY SEE FROM US AS WE WALK THROUGH THIS JOURNEY IS THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT AND SAYING, OKAY, IF WE PUT A CHARGER AT TECH RIDGE, WE CAN, WE CAN UTILIZE, YOU KNOW, 10 MORE ELECTRIC BUSES A DAY KIND OF THING.

SO, AND, AND SO THEN THAT WOULD BE THE PLAN TO KIND OF PICK A HANDFUL OF ROUTES AND INSTALL THE, THE, THE CHARGING EQUIPMENT.

YES.

IT WOULD BE SOMETHING THAT MOST DEFINITELY WOULD BE IN OUR, AS WE MOVE THROUGH AND WANT TO EFFECTIVELY MAKE SURE WE UTILIZE THIS EQUIPMENT, WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT AS WE USE IT, YOU KNOW, WHAT THAT WOULD BE THAT WOULD HELP US OR THAT WOULD HELP US.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU'LL SEE OVER THE COMING YEARS.

AND, AND LAST JUST A, A COMMENT REALLY.

I, I HAVE, UH, BEEN A, A PASSENGER, UH, ON, UH, A COUPLE OF, UH, CAPITAL METRO ELECTRIC BUSES.

AND ONE OF THE REALLY, UH, NICE FEATURES ON THEM IS THEY HAVE A WINDOW IN THE BACK INSTEAD OF, THAT'S USUALLY, I GUESS, WHERE THE MOTOR GOES, RIGHT? BUT WITHOUT THE, UH, THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE MOTOR, THERE'S A, A WINDOW ON THE BACK, WHICH HONESTLY MAKES THE ENTIRE, UH, EXPERIENCE IT'S D MORE RESIDENT, LESS LIGHT IN AND, AND IT'S A LITTLE BIT QUIETER, I WOULD ASSUME TOO.

YEAH, THEY'RE NICE.

THEY'RE NICE BUSES.

PERFORMANCE IS, UH, IS, UH, UH, OTHER ISSUE AND ON ONGOING OPERATION, OTHER ISSUE.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, ANDY.

I CAN JUST SEE COUNCIL MEMBER VELA WAVING AT PEOPLE OUT OF THE BACK WINDOW TRYING TO GET THEM TO HONK JUST LIKE I DID WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL KID.

UM, APPRECIATE THAT.

I KNOW, UM, THE CONVERSATION AROUND EXTREME HEAT AND COLD AFFECTING BATTERY LIFE IS SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING WITH FOLKS THAT I KNOW THAT DRIVE PERSONAL VEHICLES THAT ARE ELECTRIC.

IT'S THE UNPREDICTABILITY OF HOW FAR, HOW MANY HOURS CAN THAT BUS BE ON THE ROUTE? HOW MANY MILES CAN IT GO? AND SO WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT TEXAS WEATHER, I MEAN, OBVIOUSLY YESTERDAY WAS A RECORD HIGH.

WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW MANY DAYS IN TEXAS ARE NOT EXTREME IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.

THERE'S VERY FEW DAYS WHERE WE ACTUALLY GET, YOU KNOW, NORMAL WEATHER WHERE SOMEONE'S NOT HAVING TO THINK ABOUT WHETHER THEY'RE GONNA BE TOO COLD OR TOO HOT AND HOW THEY'RE GONNA GO ABOUT THEIR DAY.

UM, AND SO I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT CONVERSATION IN THIS AND UNDERSTANDING JUST THE DIFFICULTY OF HAVING, UM, HAVING THOSE BATTERIES OUT IN VERY, VERY HOT TEMPERATURES ALL DAY LONG.

UM, BUT I WAS ALSO REMINDED WHEN YOU BROUGHT UP THE CONVERSATION AROUND HAVING AN ALL DAY ROUTE AND HAVING BUSES THAT ARE OUT THERE FOR 12 OR 16 HOURS.

AND I KNOW FOLKS AT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, YOU KNOW, THEY'RE ALSO TRYING TO PLAN THROUGH THEIR BUS ELECTRIFICATION, BUT THEY HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT, UM, DUTY CYCLE ASSIGNMENT.

YOU KNOW, IT IS GO PICK EVERYBODY UP AND GO DROP EVERYBODY OFF.

AND SO YOU HAVE THAT BIG GAP IN THE DAY WHERE IF BUSES NEEDED TO BE CHARGED THAT THEY COULD, UM, AND I THINK CAP METRO'S BEEN AT LEAST COMMUNICATING WITH THEM ON HOW TO, HOW TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT Y'ALL ARE BOTH ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THOSE GOALS AND MAKE SURE THAT, UM, YOUR VEHICLE MAINTENANCE TEAMS ARE TRAINED TO DO THAT.

AND SO I KNOW THE CONVERSATION AT LEAST, UM, A YEAR, YEAR AND A HALF AGO WHEN WE KICKED THIS OFF WAS, UM, YOU KNOW, ARE WE OUTSOURCING REPAIRS OR ARE WE TRAINING THE MECHANICS THAT HAVE BEEN WORKING IN OUR FACILITIES ALL DAY, EVERY DAY FOR MANY YEARS? UM, SO ARE THERE STILL, IS THAT STILL THE INTENT THAT THE TRAINING PROGRAM IS, IS TO BE ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, DIVERSIFY THE SKILLSET OF THE STAFF THAT'S IN EXISTENCE NOW? UH, A COUPLE DIFFERENT POINTS TO THAT.

UM, I THINK AS WE START UP THROUGH IT, WE ARE LEANING INTO THE OEM.

WE'RE ALL LEANING INTO THEM TO BRING STAFF IN THAT, IN TO HELP US GET US PAST THAT LEARNING CURVE.

UHHUH , AS HARD AS I, IT IS FOR, FOR CAT MEASURE TO GO GET TECHS, WHAT WE'RE ALSO FINDING OUT IS THE OEMS HAVE AS MUCH ISSUE GETTING TECHS.

AND SO, I MEAN, IT'S LIKE WE'RE FISHING FROM THE SAME POND.

AND THERE'S NOT A LOT OF FISH LATELY.

UM, SO THAT'S ONE.

BUT WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM.

UH, UM, I GOT A PROPOSAL COMING IN FOR NEW FLORIDA TO HELP US WITH, WITH, WITH SOME OF THAT PHOENIX NEEDS A LITTLE BIT MORE TIME TO GET STABILIZED BEFORE I GET THEM, BUT WE'LL HAVE ASSISTANCE FOR THEM ON TRAINING.

WE'LL HAVE ASSISTANCE FOR THEM ON PARTS.

WE'RE ALSO LOOKING AT HIRING ONE FOR THE NORTH OPS AND ONE FOR THE SOUTH OPS A VEHICLE, UM, ELECTRIC VEHICLE SPECIALISTS.

I MEAN, IT'S, THAT'S ALL THIS PERSON'S GONNA DO.

IT'S GONNA HELP US TRANSFER TECH, UM, THE KNOWLEDGE FROM THE OEM TO OUR WORKFORCE, UNDERSTAND THE PARTS ISSUES AND WHAT, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE LEVERS WE CAN PULL ON AND SAY, OKAY, WE HAD THIS MORE THIS ON THE SHELF, WE WOULD BE BETTER OFF.

UM, AND SO, I MEAN, THIS IS ALL PART OF THAT MATURITY AND GETTING THROUGH THAT.

BUT, UM, IF, IF I CAN CALL AN OEM TOMORROW AND GET FIVE PEOPLE IN HERE AND, AND USE THEM TO TRAIN MY STAFF, I WOULD.

BUT THAT'S JUST HASN'T BEEN, THERE'S NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CO OF THE PHONE WHEN I DO THAT.

IS SOMETHING THAT WE'VE, WE'VE JUST KIND OF SEEN EVERY ENTITY TRYING TO LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, HOW, HOW DO WE WORK IN REAL TIME TO GET THESE THINGS DONE AND CAB IS THAT KIND OF OUT THERE FIRST? I MEAN, WE, WE, WE'VE GOT A BIG FLEET COMPARED TO A LOT OF WHAT YOU SEE OUT THERE IS FIVE TO 10 OR 15 BUSES, AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE 104.

SO IT'S BEEN, IT'S A LITTLE TOUGH ALL OVER AS FAR AS TECHS GO.

THAT, THAT MAKES SENSE.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

I KNOW, UM, THERE'S BEEN SO MUCH EXCITEMENT LATELY ABOUT THIS PROSPECT OF BEING ABLE TO ELECTRIFY OUR FLEETS, BUT, YOU KNOW, SEEING HOW THE MARKETS DEVELOPED, SEEING HOW TRAINING DEVELOPS AND, AND ACTUALLY JUST BEING ABLE TO BUILD THEM ON THE LINE AND GET THEM SHIPPED TO THE PURCHASER, UM,

[01:20:01]

AND, AND AGAIN, I I, I JUST WANNA EMPHASIZE CAPITAL METRO IS LEADING IN THIS AREA.

THAT'S GREAT.

UH, BUT WE'VE GOT TO BE FLEXIBLE AND WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO ADJUST TO OPERATIONAL REALITIES.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN'T BE DOGMATIC ABOUT IT.

WE, WE GOT TO THE, THE PRIORITIES, THE PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IS TO GETTING THE PEOPLE FROM POINT A TO POINT B ON TIME, UH, IN AN EFFICIENT AND WAY.

UH, LAST, UH, QUESTION.

DO DIESEL BUSES, UH, UH, EVER NEED TO REFILL DURING THE DAY? OR, OR THE IDEA IS THAT THEIR TANK IS, IS FULL ENOUGH TO OPERATE? NO, THEY RANGE 4, 4 50.

AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT A RANGE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE, ABOUT ONE 60 TO 180.

IT'S NEVER WHAT THE OEM SAYS IT IS.

UM, THREE MAJOR IMPACTS TO RANGE ARE TOPOGRAPHY.

WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OF HILLY OR IN AUSTIN, SOME OTHER CITIES, HEAT OR COLD.

AND THE OTHER ONE IS THE DRIVER.

UM, HOW THE DRIVER MANAGES ACCELERATED PEDAL.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT ON AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE THAN A DIESEL.

SO, AND, AND WE SEE VARIABILITY BETWEEN DRIVERS.