[I. Call to Order]
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UH, QUORUM HAVING BEEN ESTABLISHED.
UH, THIS WILL START THE CAP METRO PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, TODAY IS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12TH.
UH, WE ARE IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
UH, TODAY'S HEARING, UH, WILL BE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED JUNE, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES.
AND MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION FROM STAFF, THEN WE'LL TAKE PUBLIC COMMENT.
UH, FOLLOWING THAT, JORDAN MCGEE WILL GIVE
[II.1. Proposed June 2025 Service Changes]
US THE PRESENTATION.UH, WELCOME JORDAN, PLEASE TAKE IT AWAY.
UM, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR PAVILION, MEMBERS OF THE CAP METRO BOARD AND PRESIDENT AND CEO DOTIE WATKINS.
I'M JORDAN MCGEE, A SENIOR PLANNER WITH CAT METROS PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND TODAY I'LL BE PRESENTING THE JUNE, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES.
I'M STARTING WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS.
SERVICE CHANGES PROVIDE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST OUR SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS, UM, AND EFFICIENTLY USE OUR RESOURCES.
THIS PROCESS IS GUIDED BY OUR BOARD APPROVED SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES WHERE WE IDENTIFY, UM, WAYS TO IMPROVE SERVICE, DEVELOP A PROPOSAL, AND ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC IN OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS.
THESE SERVICE CHANGES TYPICALLY OCCUR THREE TIMES A YEAR, UM, IN JANUARY, JUNE AND AUGUST TO COINCIDE WITH LOCAL SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY CALENDARS.
UM, TODAY WE'LL BE COVERING OUR JUNE SERVICE CHANGES.
HOWEVER, THE AUGUST SERVICE CHANGE IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.
UM, SO YOU MAY SEE SOME OVERLAPPING COMMUNICATION AS WE GET THE WORD OUT, UM, THROUGH VARIOUS STAGES OF THESE SERVICE CHANGES.
AND IN THE INTERIM MONTHS BETWEEN SERVICE CHANGE IMPLEMENTATION, UM, KEPT METRO ALSO, UM, INVITES FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS.
SO WHERE WE MONITOR SERVICE, UM, TRENDS AND RESPOND TO CUSTOMER CARE REPORTS AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS, UM, TO GUIDE FUTURE SERVICE CHANGES.
AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES FOR JUNE ARE FOCUSED ON MINOR AND ROUTINE ADJUSTMENTS TO SUPPORT DAY-TO-DAY SERVICE, UM, AND MATCH SCHOOL CALENDARS.
UM, SO AS STUDENTS HEAD OUT FOR THE SUMMER BREAK, UM, WE PROPOSE A TYPICAL TRANSITION TO, UM, UT SHUTTLE ROUTES AND SELECT SCHOOL TRIPS ON LOCAL ROUTES.
AND ONCE THE SCHOOL YEAR PICKS BACK, BACK UP, THESE SERVICES WILL RETURN, UM, IN FULL SPRING, IN THE FALL.
AND ADDITIONALLY TO IMPROVE, UM, ON-TIME PERFORMANCE RELIABILITY AND BETTER SERVE CUSTOMERS, UM, SELECT ROUTES MAY RECEIVE, UM, MINOR SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, TO THEIR SCHEDULES AND OR STOPS.
SO THIS COULD, UM, INCLUDE OR LOOK LIKE ADJUSTMENTS TO LAYOVER, LAYOVER, UM, LOCATIONS, TIME POINTS AND THINGS OF THAT SORT THAT DON'T SUBSTANTIALLY IMPACT THE CUSTOMER'S TRIP.
AND IF APPROVED, THESE CHANGES WOULD START ON, UM, SUNDAY, JUNE 1ST WITH UT ROUTES TRANSITIONING AT THE END OF THE SPRING TERM ON THURSDAY, JUNE 5TH.
IN UNDERSTANDING AND BALANCING OUR CUSTOMER'S NEEDS WITH OUR OPERATIONAL RESOURCES IS HOW WE CONDUCT OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS.
SO OUR PROCESS INCLUDES A PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN TO NOTIFY KEY STAKEHOLDERS AND SOLICIT IMPACT FROM POTENTIALLY IMPACTED WRITERS.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT KICKED OFF ON FEBRUARY 24TH, INCLUDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE COMMENTS ON OUR WEBPAGE.
UH, TODAY THE COMMUNITY WILL ALSO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE FORMAL COMMENT, UM, ON THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES THROUGH THE SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING, UM, BEFORE THE BOARD CONSIDERS, UM, ACTION ON THIS ITEM AND ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS WILL BE, UM, SUMMARIZED AND COMMUNITY FEEDBACK WILL BE, UM, REVIEWED PRIOR TO BRINGING THE SERVICE CHANGES, UM, TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL ON MARCH 24TH.
AND ONCE THE UM, PROPOSED CHANGES ARE FINALIZED AFTER BOARD, UM, REVIEW, THE DETAILS WILL BE COMMUNICATED THROUGHOUT THE ENGAGEMENT AND MARKETING MATERIALS IN COLLABORATING WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS IS AN ESSENTIAL, UM, COMPONENT OF OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS AND TO ACHIEVING THE AGENCY'S VISION AND GOALS.
UM, TOGETHER WE ADDRESS CONCERNS AND ENSURE THAT THE SERVICE REFLECTS REGIONAL CONDITIONS AND FEEDBACK.
UM, RECENT INITIATIVES INCLUDING THE
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LAUNCH OF PICKUP DECKER THROUGH THE TRAVIS COUNTY TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND THE EXPANSION OF THE LEANDER UM, PICK ZONE, HAVE GARNERED VERY POSITIVE RESPONSES FROM THE COMMUNITY.AND OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AND STAFF CONTINUE TO ENGAGE, UM, WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS TO DISCUSS, UM, SCHEDULING AND SERVICE PLANNING NEEDS IN THE NEAR TERM AND LONG TERM AS WELL.
AND THE PROPOSED JUNE, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES, UM, AIM TO SUPPORT DAY-TO-DAY SERVICE, UM, THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IN PART OF OUR, UM, MEMBER CITY AREA.
AND WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EACH JURISDICTION, UM, TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FEEDBACK, EVALUATE EXISTING AND FUTURE SERVICES, UH, MODEL ANY POTENTIAL SERVICE OPTIONS AND, AND ADDRESS ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES AS THEY OCCUR AS PART OF OUR SERVICE CHANGES IN TRANSIT PLAN 2035 PROCESS.
IN LOOKING AHEAD, UM, FUTURE SERVICE CHANGES CAN INCLUDE MORE SUBSTANTIAL SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS, UM, IN VARIOUS SERVICE, UM, SCENARIO OPTIONS WILL BE CONSIDERED AS PART OF OUR TRANSIT, UH, TRANSIT PLAN 2035 PROCESS.
THIS PLAN IS UNDERWAY, UM, TO EVALUATE THE ENTIRE SYSTEM AND WE'LL YIELD AN INITIAL DRAFT PLAN FOR WHICH CAT MITCHELL WILL, UM, ENGAGE THE COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE, UM, CENTRAL TEXAS REGION AND CULMINATE IN UM, PHASE RECOMMENDATIONS.
THEN FOLLOWING THE PLAN'S ADOPTION IN LATE 2025, A SERIES OF SERVICE CHANGE PROPOSALS WILL FOLLOW.
UM, AND DURING EACH SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS, UM, CAN METRO WILL COMPLETE UM, PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT AND BOARD APPROVAL FOR EACH SERVICE CHANGE PRIOR TO IMPLEMENTATION.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR THE TIME TODAY AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY POTENTIAL QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS THEN.
I APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION.
[III. Public Comment]
NOW WE'LL MOVE IN, UH, TO PUBLIC COMMENT.WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS WHO SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE.
UH, THE FIRST OF WHICH WILL BE MS. NOIA JOSEPH.
UH, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU WITH US? GOOD.
UM, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ZIA JOSEPH.
MY COMMENTS AS THEY ALWAYS ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
I JUST WANNA CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THERE ARE SOME DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION BILLS THAT ACTUALLY ARE IMPACTING CAPITAL METRO AS IT RELATES TO THESE SERVICE CHANGES.
I WANNA REMIND YOU THAT THE SYSTEM IS INEQUITABLE AS IT RELATES TO THE REGIONAL COORDINATION, WHICH IS ACTUALLY ON PAGE 10 OF THE BOARD PACKET.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT BY 20 35, 50 8% OF THE JOBS WILL BE IN THE NORTH CORRIDOR ACCORDING TO THE PROJECT CONNECT 2014 LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE STUDY.
SO THE QUESTION I HAVE FOR STAFF IS, ARE YOU EVER GOING TO IMPROVE THE SERVICE IN THE NORTHEAST AREA NORTH OF US, 180 3 AND SPECIFICALLY IN THAT AREA? AS YOU ARE AWARE, THERE'S NO SERVICE BETWEEN SAMSUNG AND APPLE.
I JUST WANT TO ACTUALLY REMIND YOU AS WELL AND STATE THAT I DO APPRECIATE NADIA BARRA RAMIREZ ACTUALLY MADE SURE THAT THE SIGNAGE WAS PLACED, UM, IN THE CORNER.
SO THE FLAGPOLE IS ACTUALLY CORRECT.
IT HAS 8 0 1 AND ONE AT BREAKER IN NORTH LAMAR.
HOWEVER, YOU HAVE STILL MAINTAINED THE MID-BLOCK CHINATOWN STOP 5 8 5 7.
AND WHAT I WANT TO TELL YOU IS THAT SPECIFICALLY IT WAS 2009 WHEN CAPITAL METRO, THE CITY OF AUSTIN AND TXDOT ACTUALLY REVIEWED THE NORTH CORRIDOR, NORTH LAMAR, SPECIFICALLY PEDESTRIAN SAFETY FOR 20 MONTHS.
WHAT NADIA SAID TO ME, HOWEVER, IS THAT THAT PARTICULAR AREA COULD NOT BE CLOSED BECAUSE OF THE AWNING THAT'S THERE.
THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS CAPITOL METRO NEVER SHOULD HAVE OPENED THE MIDBLOCK STOP BECAUSE THE STUDY TOLD THEM THAT THAT'S WHERE PEDESTRIANS GET KILLED ON PAGE 75.
SO I AM IN OPPOSITION OF THE SERVICE CHANGES BECAUSE THE, YOU SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER DOCUMENT WHAT IT SAID TO FOOL THE FEDS.
AND AT NO POINT HAVE YOU STATED ANY CHANGES TO THE NORTHEAST AREA.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO RESTORE NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY ON 3 92, 3 25.
TODAY, INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO TAKE,
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INDIVIDUALS HAVE TO ACTUALLY TRANSFER.IT'S A 30 MINUTE TRANSFER, UM, ON 3 25, 3 24.
AND SO YOU'RE ABLE TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE COUNTED.
AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WANT YOU TO DO IS TO MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THE SYSTEM SO THAT IT IS CONNECTED NORTHEAST, NORTHWEST.
LASTLY, I WILL JUST REMIND YOU THAT ON NOVEMBER 3RD, 2017 IN THE AUSTIN CHRONICLE CAPITAL METRO ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE ARE ALWAYS CASUALTIES TO ANY SYSTEM.
SO THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY COST.
THAT OPPORTUNITY COST IS AFRICAN AMERICANS AND THE MINORITIES THAT LIVE IN THE NORTHEAST CORNER.
AND SO THE SYSTEM IS IN EQUITABLE.
I TESTIFIED LAST WEEK AND USED TRANSPORTATION AS A WAY FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE MEMBERS IN THE SENATE STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE TO UNDERSTAND THAT OUR SYSTEM HERE IS DISCRIMINATORY.
PLEASE WRAP UP, MS. JOSEPH, YOUR TIME IS UH, COMPLETED.
I'LL JUST WRAP UP AND SAY THAT, THAT THEY ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO ELIMINATE EQUITY POSITIONS IN ANY ORGANIZATION, GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY THAT RECEIVES STATE FUNDING.
AND I WOULD ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING SO THAT YOU'RE NOT, UM, FINED OR VIOL VIOLATION OF THE LAW.
DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING TO THE BOARD TODAY.
OKAY, UM, NEXT LISTED IS, UH, DEB MILLER.
I'M DEBORAH MILLER AND UH, I HAD A CONCERN IN THE NEW PLANS, UH, OVER AND OVER.
I'VE HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE AS A PROVISIONAL RIDER USING MY WHEELCHAIR OUTSIDE IN THE BERG AREA.
UM, WHEN YOU CHANGE DIRECTIONS UP THERE, IT'S VERY, VERY DANGEROUS.
AND I HAVE BEEN WANTED YOU TO LOOK AT MAYBE MAKING A TRANSIT CENTER CHANGE AROUND THERE WHERE THE 8 0 1 WOULD GO BOTH DIRECTIONS WHERE YOU COULD CHANGE BUSES THERE INSTEAD OF CROSSING THAT STREET IF YOU'RE DISABLED.
AND THEN, UM, THIS IS KIND OF UNRELATED, BUT I GOT A NOTICE THIS MORNING FROM THE, UH, FTA THAT THE BUS THAT WE HAD TROUBLE LOADING IN ME A FEW YEARS AGO, THE COMMUTER BUS, THE FLYER, THEY'RE BEING RECALLED.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF YOU GUYS HAD GOT THAT INFORMATION YET, SO I JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE OF IT.
AND THEN I HAVE OTHER COMMENTS FOR THE OTHER MEETING LATER.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR PRESENTING.
UH, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, NO QUESTIONS.
SO, UH, THESE ARE THE PEOPLE THAT SIGNED UP AND IF THERE'S ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD WHO HAS NOT HAD A CHANCE TO SIGN UP, NOW IS THE TIME.
ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS TODAY? ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO MAKE COMMENTS TODAY? NO COMMENTS.
UH, IF, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS, WE'LL CLOSE TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING AND STAND ADJOURNED AT 1213.