[I. Call to Order]
[00:00:04]
ALL RIGHT, UH, LOOKS LIKE WE'VE GOT A, A QUORUM PRESENT.
WE'LL START OUR PUBLIC HEARING.
UH, TODAY IS MONDAY, APRIL 14TH.
WE'RE IN THE ROSA PARKS, UH, BOARD ROOM AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
[II.1. Proposed Bikeshare Fare Adjustments Presentation]
HEARING WILL BE TO RECEIVE PUBLIC COMMENT ON OUR PROPOSED BIKE SHARE FAIR ADJUSTMENTS, AS WELL AS THE PROPOSED AUGUST, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES.BOTH ITEMS WILL BE ON THE AGENDA FOR A BOARD VOTE AT THE APRIL FULL BOARD MEETING ON MONDAY, THE 21ST.
WE'LL START WITH THE PRESENTATION FROM STAFF ON THE BIKE CHAIR, FAIR ADJUSTMENTS.
AND THEN WE WILL TAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THAT ITEM THAT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY PRESENTATION ON THE SERVICE CHANGES, AND THEN COMMENTS ON THAT ITEM.
ALRIGHT, STAFF, IF WE CAN START ON THE BIKE SHARE PRESENTATION, I'LL BE THE FIRST TO SAY.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ILIAN PRESIDENT, CEO, DODY WATKINS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF THE BOARD.
I AM BRANDI MOELLER, THE DIRECTOR OF REVENUE AND AFFAIRS HERE AT CAP METRO, AND I'M HERE TODAY TO TALK ABOUT BIKE SHARE FAIR ADJUSTMENTS.
FIRST CAP METRO BIKE SHARE FAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN CHANGED SINCE 2013, SINCE THAT WAS THE INCEPTION AND THE ORIGINAL LAUNCH OF OUR BIKE SHARE FAIR PROGRAM DUE INTO INFLATION.
UM, AND, YOU KNOW, TODAY'S DOLLAR IS NOT WORTH NEARLY WHAT IT WAS IN 2013.
SO THESE FARES, UH, INCREASES, SEEK TO WRITE THAT AS WELL AS THE SUSTAINABILITY OF THE CURRENT LEVEL OF SERVICE AND RELIABILITY FOR THE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT ARE NEEDED.
MOREOVER, THIS SUSTAINABILITY, UM, IS A PREREQUISITE TO THE EXPANSION IN TRANSIT PLAN 2035.
UM, THESE BIKE SHARE FARE INCREASES WOULD GO TO THAT SUSTAINABILITY AND ULTIMATELY TO THE ABILITY TO EXPAND.
WE KNOW THAT ACCESS TO THIS SYSTEM IS IMPACTFUL ACROSS THE BOARD, SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO EXPAND IT.
AND THEN LASTLY, THESE PROPOSED FAIRS ARE SOME OF THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY.
SOME OF THE LOWEST IN THE COUNTRY.
UM, AND THESE ARE FLAT OUT LESS EXPENSIVE THAN THE BIKE AND, UH, BIKE AND THE SCOOTER SHARING SYSTEMS THAT WE HAVE HERE IN AUSTIN.
I'LL SHOW YOU A LITTLE BIT LATER WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
UM, WE'LL TALK ABOUT ALL OF THIS MORE IN, IN JUST A FEW MINUTES.
SO I'M GONNA GO AHEAD AND MOVE FORWARD.
AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THESE PRICE CHANGES FOR THE PAY AS YOU GO.
CURRENTLY, WE HAVE A DOLLAR NINE UNLOCK FEE WITH A 23 CENTS PER MINUTE.
UM, THE PROPOSED IS $2 AND 50 CENTS FOR AN UNLOCK FEE WITH 25 CENTS PER MINUTE.
YOU CAN SEE THERE ON THE BOTTOM THAT BLUE LINE IS WHAT IT CURRENTLY IS, RIGHT? THAT'S WHAT WE CURRENTLY CHARGE.
WHAT WE ARE SUGGESTING IS THAT ORANGE, UM, THAT ORANGE LINE ABOVE IT FOR THE, THE FAIR INCREASE.
ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN SEE DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, OVER THE RIGHT HAND CORNER, WE TALK ABOUT WHAT LYME'S BIKE SHARE PRICE ENTAILS.
SURE, IT'S ONLY A DOLLAR TO UNLOCK, BUT AT 56 CENTS PER MINUTE, THAT'S, THAT'S WHERE THEY, WHERE THEY, UH, OUTPACE US.
LET ME SHOW YOU WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE.
SO IN COMPARISON, YOU CAN SEE WE STILL HAVE THAT WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE, WHICH IS THE ORANGE AT THIS POINT, THE BLUE, WHAT WE ARE PROPOSING.
AND THEN THAT GRAY LINE THAT YOU SEE IS WHAT LYME'S BIKE SHARE PRICE IS AT FIVE MINUTES.
THEY OUT PRICE US AT 20 MINUTES.
AND THEN OF COURSE, AT 30 MINUTES, IT'S, IT'S SUPER EXPENSIVE.
SO JUST IN COMPARISON, THIS IS WHAT THE BIKE SHARE PRICES LOOK AT, LOOK LIKE IN A PAY AS YOU GO OPTION.
WE DO HAVE OTHER OPTIONS CURRENTLY.
WE HAVE OTHER PASSES THAT WE, WE GO THROUGH OR WE OFFER.
AND I'M GONNA GO THROUGH WHAT THOSE LOOK LIKE.
SO THESE PRICE CHANGES FOR EACH PASS.
AND TYPICALLY I HAVE A BETTER ANIMATION.
UM, SO FORGIVE THE JUST ALL IN ONE SPACE.
I'M GONNA GO FROM LEFT TO RIGHT READING EXACTLY.
UM, WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
WE CURRENTLY HAVE A ONE DAY PASS THAT IS OFFERED AT $12 AND 99 CENTS.
[00:05:01]
AND 99 CENTS PER PASS.UM, CURRENTLY THE ONE DAY PASS IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN THE 31 DAY PASS.
SO WE HAVE A LOT OF INDIVIDUALS WHO SAY, HEY, WHY AM I GONNA PAY $12 AND 99 CENTS WHEN I CAN GET AN ENTIRE DAY FOR $11? UM, THESE PRICES WERE HOLDOVERS FROM, AGAIN, WE HAVEN'T CHANGED OR, UH, MADE ANY ADJUSTMENTS TO THIS SINCE 2013.
UM, SO THIS IS, THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT NOW, PROPOSED FROM THAT CURRENT 31 DAY PASS FROM $11 AN INCREASE OF $25 PER PASS.
$14 IS THE TOTAL CHANGE IN PER MONTH, ROUGHLY 50 CENTS A DAY.
ON OUR ANNUAL PASS, WE HAVE IT CURRENTLY AT 86 60, BUT WE ARE PROPOSING THE INCREASE OF A TO $150.
THAT CHANGE IS $63 AND 40 CENTS PER PASS, WHICH EQUATES TO ROUGHLY $5 AND 25 CENTS A MONTH, LESS THAN THE PRICE OF MY STARBUCKS THIS MORNING.
OUR STUDENT PASS CURRENTLY IS $12 PER YEAR.
WE ARE PROPOSING A $75 PER YEAR STUDENT PASS, WHICH IS A 50% DISCOUNT FOR THAT ANNUAL PASS.
THIS CHANGE WOULD BE $63, UH, LARGER THAN WHAT THEY'RE CURRENTLY PAYING NOW.
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE AT THAT $5 AND 25 CENTS PER MONTH, UM, CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY.
HOWEVER, WITH THIS CHANGE, WE ARE EXCITED TO PROPOSE OPENING IT UP TO OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE 18 AND OLDER FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAT GO TO TRADE SCHOOLS, TECHNICAL SCHOOLS, NURSING SCHOOLS, VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, AND EVEN HIGH SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES, OTHER COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
WE'RE CURRENTLY, WE ONLY OFFER IT TO THE UT STAFF AND STUDENTS.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO, TO OPEN IT UP AND BRING IN SOME NEW RIDERSHIP AT THESE PRICES.
UM, WITH MY ANIMATION WITHSTANDING, UM, BASICALLY WHAT YOU WOULD SEE HERE IS THAT AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE BLUE LINE THAT IS STAIR STEPPING.
THAT BLUE LINE STAIR STEPPING INDICATES OUR CURRENT FEE STRUCTURE, RIGHT? WE ALSO HAVE A RIDE DURATION CURRENTLY OF 60 MINUTES.
THAT MEANS I GO AND I CHECK OUT A BIKE, I'VE PAID MY DAILY FARE, I CAN RIDE IT FOR 60 MINUTES BEFORE IT STARTS CHARGING ME OVER.
THAT OVERAGE THAT IT CHARGES ME IS $4 AND 33 CENTS PER 30 MINUTES.
SO THAT MEANS IF I GO AND I CHECK IT OUT AND I WRITE IT FOR 61 MINUTES, I'M STILL PAYING THAT ADDITIONAL 4 33.
THIS PRICING STRUCTURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT INDICATED BY THE ORANGE LINE GOES BACK TO A MORE, UH, PAY AS YOU GO STRUCTURE, RIGHT? IT MAKES IT EASIER TO, TO RIDE.
HOWEVER, WE ARE ALSO MOVING THE RIDE TIME BACK TO 30 MINUTES.
WHAT THIS RIDE TIME MEANS IS THAT I GO CHECK OUT A BAR, A BIKE, AND I RIDE IT FOR 30 MINUTES.
IF I CHECK IT IN AT 30 MINUTES, I CAN CHECK OUT ANOTHER ONE AND RIDE ALL DAY, RIGHT? SO IF I'M PAYING FOR A DAILY PASS, CHECK IT OUT EVERY 30 MINUTES, I RIDE FREE ALL DAY OR FOR THE, THE ALLOTTED AMOUNT FOR THAT DAY.
SO THAT BEING SAID, WOW, YOU'RE LOWERING THE WRITING THE WRITING TIME FROM 60 TO 30 MINUTES.
WELL, THE GREAT, I MEAN, THE THING ABOUT IT IS, THE GREAT THING ABOUT IT IS, IS THE MAJORITY OF THE AVERAGE RIDE TIME THAT OUR INDIVIDUALS USE IS 13 MINUTES.
THE NEXT AMOUNT WITHIN 30 MINUTES IS 76% OF OUR RIDES.
SO 76% OF OUR INDIVIDUALS WILL, WILL THEN SEE THAT 96% OF THOSE RIDES ARE WITHIN THOSE 60 MINUTES.
SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THAT RIDE FOR 30 MINUTES, WHAT EXACTLY IS IT YOU CAN DO? SO AT 10 TO 15 MINUTES, WE CAN GO FROM WEST CAMPERS TO TRADER JOE'S AT SEA HOME FOR AN ADDITIONAL FIVE MINUTES.
WE CAN GO FROM FRANKLIN BARBECUE TO THAT PARMER EVENT CENTER AND ADDITIONAL FIVE TO 10 MINUTES WE'VE GOT SPEED WAVE DE SOCO.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, THAT ADDITIONAL FIVE TO 10 MINUTES, WE'VE GOT CREEK FIELDS TO ZILKER PARK.
THESE ARE ALL THE KINDS OF TRIPS THAT YOU CAN TAKE WITH THAT 30 MINUTE, THAT 30 MINUTE CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT TIME.
IF YOU THINK YOU'RE GONNA GO OVER THAT, YOU SIMPLY JUST CHECK YOUR BIKE BACK IN, CHECK OUT ANOTHER ONE AND GO FOR A RIDE.
THIS IS INTENDED TO ENCOURAGE, UH, MULTI THE QUICKER CHECK-INS, RIGHT? KEEPING THOSE BATTERIES CHARGED, KEEPING, UM, BIKES IN SPACES THAT WE NEED THEM.
SO WE'RE ENCOURAGING INDIVIDUALS BY THIS LOWERING OF FROM 60 MINUTES TO 30 MINUTES TO CHECK IN THAT BIKE MORE FREQUENTLY.
SO FOR PRICE COMPARISONS, YOU CAN SEE HERE THAT WE'VE GOT JUST A COUPLE OF,
[00:10:01]
YOU KNOW, EXAMPLES OF WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE.WE TALKED ABOUT, UM, YOU KNOW, WE TALKED ABOUT A 30 MINUTE RIDE WHERE YOU CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT THAT RIDE TIME.
YES, YOU DID MAKE IT UP THERE, MA'AM.
UM, WE CAN SEE THAT IF FRIDA WANTED TO TAKE A 45 MINUTE RIDE, CURRENTLY, SHE WOULD JUST PAY $11.
UM, HOWEVER, THE PRICE INCREASE PROPOSED WOULD BE $13 AND 75 CENTS BECAUSE OF THE LOWERED RIDE TIME AND THE 25 CENTS PER MINUTE VERSUS 23 CENTS PER MINUTE.
HOWEVER, IF EDWARD WANTS TO TAKE TWO 30 MINUTE RIDES IN A DAY, CHECKING IT IN, CHECKING IT OUT, HE WOULD ONLY PAY $10 IN THE INTENDED DAY.
I HAVE BEEN KIND OF LEAVING THAT ALONE, BUT I WANT YOU TO NOTICE, BECAUSE LOOK AT THE PRICE THAT LYME'S BIKE SHARE IS FOR THOSE PARTICULAR ONES FOR 45 MINUTES, A 45 MINUTE RIDE, IT'S 1599, WHEREAS WE'RE STILL AT 1375 AT THAT TWO 30 MINUTE RIDES.
WE'RE AT 1699 AND IT JUST KEEPS GOING UP FROM THERE.
AS YOU POINTED OUT, MS. PAGE, IF YOU WERE TO PAY FOR 75, 30 MINUTE RIDES IN A YEAR, YOU WOULD BE PAYING OVER, OVER $475.
WHEREAS WITH THIS PRICE INCREASE, YOU WOULD STILL JUST BE PAYING ONE 50 FOR THOSE 30 MINUTES.
ALL RIGHT, SO WHAT IS OUR TIMELINE? WE ARE LOOKING AT, I'M GONNA START IN THE MIDDLE.
UM, WE DID SOME VIRTUAL PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE NINTH, THE 10TH TODAY AND TOMORROW.
SO WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO COME TO EVERYBODY, UM, AND, AND TALK TO EVERYBODY ABOUT IT.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IS STILL GOING ON AND WE'LL CONTINUE THROUGH TOMORROW.
SO WE ENCOURAGE EVERYBODY TO GET INVOLVED.
UM, IF YOU NEED TO, AND YOU CAN CONTINUE EVEN PAST THAT TO EMAIL THE ENGAGE@CAPMETRO.COM, YOU CAN SEE THAT ON THE 21ST, WE INTEND TO COME AND TALK TO THE BOARD AS A WHOLE ON IT.
UM, TO CONSIDER THE ITEM AND TO HOPEFULLY PASS OUR RESOLUTION ON AUGUST 1ST WOULD BE THE IMPLEMENTATION DATE.
IT WOULD NOT BE AN IMMEDIATE THING.
IT WOULD GET GIVE INDIVIDUALS THAT TIME TO PLAN THAT THEY NEED FOR AN IMPLEMENT IMPLEMENTATION DATE ON AUGUST 1ST.
NOW, BEFORE WE GET THERE, I DO WANNA SAY WE DID IMPLEMENT THOSE NEW E-BIKES BACK IN JULY, IF YOU WILL REMEMBER, WE DECIDED AT THAT TIME NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH JUST RAISING PRICES.
IT WOULD'VE BEEN AN OPTION, BUT WE REALLY WANTED TO TAKE TIME TO RESEARCH, ASSESS AND LOOK AT THE FEASIBILITY AND THE CURRENT FAIR STRUCTURE THAT WE HAVE AROUND THESE, IN THESE, THESE BIKES AND, AND WHAT WE COULD DO IN THIS SPACE.
SO WE DID TAKE A LOT OF TIME TO DO, YOU KNOW, THIS RESEARCH.
SO WE HAVE, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TAKEN A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TO LOOK AT IT AND THEN WE STARTED ENGAGING THE STAKEHOLDERS AND NOTIFYING ENGAGEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT STARTED BACK IN MARCH.
SO WITH THAT, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND APPRECIATE YOU.
WAS THAT YOUR BACKGROUND? MUSIC?
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBER QUADRANT.
UM, I'M ALSO SOMEWHAT JEALOUS THAT COUNCILMAN VELA HAS THAT SNAZZY POLO.
UM, AND I, I DON'T HAVE THAT YET.
UH, I KNOW A FEW MORE VOLUNTEER HOURS BEFORE YOU.
UM, I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THE TOP OF THE SLIDES THAT THE LAST TIME THERE WAS AN ADJUSTMENT WAS 2013, AND NOW WE'RE IN 2025.
SO 12 YEARS LATER, WHEN DO YOU THINK THE NEXT TIME WE WOULD REVISIT CONVERSATIONS ON, ON AN ADJUSTMENT? DID DO, DID WE, I THINK WE WAITED TOO LONG.
ARE WE GONNA LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, SMALLER INTERVAL BEFORE WE CHANGE IT AGAIN? WE ABSOLUTELY DID.
IN MY PLAN, IT'S TO LOOK AT IT AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS.
IT COULD BE, YOU KNOW, DEPENDENT UPON HOW EXACTLY THE, THE, YOU KNOW, THE MARKET GOES AND HOW THE PRICES GO UP.
UM, YOU KNOW, I CAN I TELL YOU THAT WE'RE NOT GONNA HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT WE NEED TO GET ALL BRAND NEW, YOU KNOW, UH, BATTERIES FOR, IN WHICH CASE WE WOULD NEED TO LOOK AT THAT, RIGHT? ADDITIONALLY, IT DEPENDS ON HOW POPULAR THESE THESE ITEMS ARE.
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO RIDE THESE.
SO IF IT'S EVERYBODY IS WRITING THESE AND WE STILL NEED TO EXPAND FURTHER, HEY, LET'S JUST LOOK AT IT.
IT DOESN'T MEAN I'M NOT GOING TO REVIEW IT YEARLY TO LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE MAKING RIGHT? CURRENTLY, UM, WHAT WE ARE MAKING IN OPERATIONAL COSTS, IF IT GETS BELOW A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE, I WOULD LIKE TO COME BACK TO THE BOARD AND SAY, HEY, WE GOT TO, YOU KNOW, THIS PERCENTAGE BECAUSE OF X, Y, AND Z.
CAN WE RE-LOOK AT THIS SO PERIODIC AT LEAST EVERY FIVE YEARS.
UM, AND THEN IF WE END UP APPROVING THIS, WHAT WILL, WHAT WILL THE NOTIFICATION PROCESS LOOK LIKE? I, I KNOW AROUND A LOT OF THE, THE BIKE, UH, BIKE SHARE, I GUESS DOCKING STATIONS, THERE'S, THERE'S A PLACE WHERE IT SEEMS LIKE YOU COULD PUT SIGNAGE.
IS THERE, COULD WE PUT SOME SIGNAGE AROUND SO FOLKS ARE NOTIFIED? AND BECAUSE, BECAUSE I KNOW WE'RE DOING OUTREACH, BUT WE'RE NOT GONNA HIT EVERY PERSON WHO USES IT AND NOT EVERY PERSON'S GONNA BE UP TO DATE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THE LAST THING I WOULD WANT
[00:15:01]
IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE TO BE, OH MY GOD, WAS THIS DONE IN IN IN DARKNESS? AND ABSOLUTELY.YES, I'M HAPPY TO, TO TO WORK WITH MARK COMP TO SEE IF WE CAN GET THAT.
I DON'T, I DON'T THINK THAT WOULD BE A HUGE LIFT.
AND THEN, AND THEN AS, AS THE COUNCIL MEMBER WHO REPRESENTS, YOU KNOW, A LARGE AMOUNT OF STUDENTS AT UT, UM, YOU KNOW, I UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE DOING THIS, YOU KNOW, TO MAKE SURE THAT WE KIND OF KEEP UP WITH OUR PEER CITIES AND YOU KNOW, WE STILL HAVE, YOU KNOW, UM, YOU KNOW, WANTING TO MAINTAIN WHAT WE HAVE, UH, AND YOU KNOW, KIND OF RAISING THE PRICE.
BUT, YOU KNOW, I I, I'VE TALKED TO A LOT OF STUDENTS, A LOT OF STUDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT NOT KNOWING ABOUT THIS AND TALKING ABOUT HOW EXCITED THEY ARE THAT IT'S ONLY $12 A YEAR.
UH, SO THEY'RE GONNA BE, AND FOR, UH, AND FOR A SURPRISE.
BUT I WAS WONDERING, YOU KNOW, THAT'S $75 A YEAR FOR A LOT OF US MIGHT NOT BE A LOT OF MONEY FOR A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT $75 IS, IS A LOT.
IT COULD BE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, MAYBE BUYING A TEXTBOOK OR HAVING, YOU KNOW, ENOUGH MONEY TO GO TO, I DON'T KNOW, WHATABURGER.
UM, IS THERE A WAY THAT WE COULD LOOK AT HAVING THIS AS A, A MONTHLY OPTION FOR STUDENTS OR MAYBE A SEMESTER OPTION, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, UH, FALL, SPRING, I THINK THERE'S LIKE TWO SUMMER SESSIONS AT UT RATHER, RATHER THAN JUST A YEARLY BUY.
I KNOW THERE ARE SOME, UM, COMPLICATED THINGS ABOUT IT, BUT I'M HAPPY TO LOOK INTO IT.
THERE'S, YOU KNOW, NOT A PROBLEM.
ALRIGHT, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? UM, BOARD MEMBER VELA, UM, THE, THE APP THAT WE USE FOR BIKE CHAIR, WHICH, UH, IS THAT OUR OWN PROPRIETARY APP? OH, SORRY.
SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE THE MOBILE APP? YES.
WE USE, UM, PBSC, WHICH IS A PORTION OF LYFT.
WE CALL IT PEANUT BUTTER SOUR CREAM, JUST BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHAT PBSC STANDS FOR, BUT WE USE, WE USE, WE USE PBSC TO DO THIS, AND THEY ARE A SUBSIDIARY OF LYFT.
UH, AND THE ANNUAL PASS, AND I THINK I, I GOT THIS THROUGH THE, BUT LET ME GO AHEAD AND ASK THE IT SO YOU CAN USE AT ANY TIME, BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO, UH, TAKE THE BIKE AND RETURN IT WITHIN 30 MINUTES? THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT AGAIN, WITHIN THOSE 30 MINUTE BLOCKS, AS LONG AS YOU'RE, YOU KNOW, TAKING IT AND RETURNING IT, THE ANNUAL PASS COVERS YOUR, UH, ENTIRE USE OF IT IN THOSE 30 MINUTE BLOCKS.
UH, BUT AS LONG AS IF YOU'RE KEEPING IT PAST THE 30 MINUTES, THEN YOU ARE INCURRING THOSE, UH, THE OVERAGES ESSENTIALLY.
WHICH, IF, IF I'M WAS THAT 25 CENTS A MINUTE, 25 CENTS A MINUTE JUST TO MAKE IT EASY.
MY MENTAL MATH, I, I DON'T LIKE TO DO ALGEBRA EVERY TIME I I I GO TO RIDE A BIKE, SO I LOOK TO A A 25 CENTS.
UH, AND THEN, UH, YOU HAVE TO RETURN THE BIKE TO UH, UH, ONE OF THE DOCKS, RIGHT? THAT IS CORRECT.
BUT YOU CAN RETURN IT TO ANY, UH, DOCK.
ANY ONE OF OUR DOCKS YOU CAN RETURN IT.
AND HOW MANY LOCATIONS, UH, ARE THERE, HOW MANY, LAST I HEARD THERE WERE 73.
CAN I, CAN I PHONE A FRIEND RIGHT QUICK? YES, PLEASE.
AND AGAIN, MOSTLY IN THE DOWNTOWN AND UH, UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AREA? CORRECT.
AND, AND AGAIN, JUST FOR BACKGROUND, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS IS, SEES THE HIGHEST USE, RIGHT? I MEAN THIS WAS, LET ME PHONE A FRIEND.
I KNOW WE HAVE AT LEAST 5,000, BUT LET ME MAKE SURE OF THE RIDERSHIP.
ALRIGHT, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OVER HERE? IF NOT, I THINK WE'VE GOT BOARD MEMBER QUADRANT.
I JUST, OUTTA OUTTA CURIOSITY, KIND OF GOING OFF OF THAT.
DO, DO WE KNOW IN TERMS OF RIDERSHIP, WHAT PERCENTAGE COMES FROM UNIVERSITY STUDENTS? THAT IS A GREAT QUESTION.
I HAVEN'T FIGURED OUT THE PERCENTAGE.
IF PHONE A FRIEND'S LIKE THE BEST LIFELINE RIGHT NOW, I'M TELLING YOU
BUT WHAT PERCENTAGE OF THE MARKET, OR PER WHAT PERCENTAGE OF USERS IN AUSTIN USES LIME LYME VERSUS CAP METRO? THAT I WOULD NOT KNOW.
THIS WAS SIMPLY, UH, ME GOING TO LYME AND CALCULATING USING WHAT THEY HAVE.
I CAN TRY AND FIGURE THAT OUT.
I DO WE KNOW HOW MANY LIKE UNITS LYME HAS ON THE, ON THE GROUND VERSUS HOW MUCH CAP METRO HAS? GREAT QUESTION.
UM, CAN I JUMP IN REAL FAST? UH, YOU ABSOLUTELY MAY.
WE COULD PROBABLY ASK OUR TRANSPORTATION FOLKS.
'CAUSE I THINK THERE WAS A CAP AT SOME POINT.
IT MIGHT BE LIKE 3000, BUT I, I DON'T WANNA BE ON RECORD WITH THAT.
OKAY, WE'LL WE'LL PUT A FRONT LATER.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LINE BIKE SHARE, ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THE SCOOTERS OR DO THEY HAVE A FULL ON BIKE? BOTH.
OH, I DIDN'T, I DIDN'T EVEN REALIZE.
I MEAN, WE HAVE PRETTIER BIKES.
I'M JUST, I'M JUST GONNA BE HONEST, I'M STILL TRYING TO GET OVER PEANUT BUTTER AND SOUR CREAM
YOU KNOW WHAT, YOU WON'T FORGET IT
[00:20:01]
BUT I DO WANNA MAKE A SHAMELESS PLUG FOR TRANSIT.WE ACTUALLY HAVE INTEGRATED PBSC INTO TRANSIT, SO YOU CAN USE THE BIKE SHARE THROUGH TRANSIT.
SO I'M SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THAT TOO.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, WE WILL, UH, WE WILL OPEN UP TO
[III. Public Comment]
PUBLIC COMMENT.I UNDERSTAND THAT, UH, WE HAVE SOMEONE ON THE PHONE, UH, IS THAT, UM, MS. THOMPSON? ELLA THOMPSON.
MR. CHAIR, I HAVE NOT SEEN MS. MS. THOMPSON JOIN US THIS AFTERNOON.
SO WE WILL PUT THAT IN THE QUEUE.
UH, HAVE NO OTHER FOLKS SCHEDULED FOR CALLING IN, BUT IF THERE'S ANYONE HERE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT, UH, NOW'S THE TIME.
ANY ADDITIONAL COMMENTS ON THIS ITEM IN THE ROOM? I SAY SOMETHING MEAN ABOUT THE BIKES.
WHAT? THANK YOU MR. CHAIR MEMBERS ON ANOVIA.
JOSEPH, CAN YOU DO THE MICRO? THANK YOU MR. CHAIR MEMBERS.
I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO COMMENT THAT WHEN YOU HAVE THESE PRESENTATIONS, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO DO A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS.
THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS SAME STAFFER HAS PRESENTED INFORMATION TO YOU AND IT TOOK KUT TO ACTUALLY TELL THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE FAIR CHANGE AND HOW YOU WERE NOT RECEIVING THE FARES FROM THE INDIVIDUALS AND YOU WERE LOSING FUNDING.
BUT IT WAS A SALES PITCH THE ENTIRE TIME I HEARD IT FROM PROJECT CONNECT COMMUNITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND OTHER PRESENTATIONS.
THERE WAS NEVER ANYTHING NEGATIVE.
AND WE KNOW THAT THERE'S ALWAYS A COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS AND THERE'S SOME TRADE OFF.
AND SO IT WOULD BE HELPFUL FOR THE PUBLIC TO KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
THE OTHER THING I WOULD SAY IS RESPECTFULLY, AS CHEETO, VLA JUST ASKED ABOUT, THIS DOES NOT SERVE NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
IT DOES NOT GO NORTH OF US 180 3.
AND WHEN I TESTIFY IN THE PUBLIC HEARING, I'LL SHOW YOU AN IMAGE OF THAT PARTICULAR AREA.
SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE DISPARITY IN THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN INFUSED IN THE SOUTHWEST AND CENTRAL AREA AND THAT NORTH LAMAR AREA IS STILL DANGEROUS.
THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL DYING ON NORTH LAMAR AND YET WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT BIKES IN THE DOWNTOWN AREA.
I LISTENED TO A PRESENTATION APRIL 1ST, 2025.
THERE WAS A UP FOR THE URBAN TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION AND I GET THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE ON BIKES THAT ARE STILL BEING INJURED.
I'VE SEEN THE GHOST BIKES AND SO I RESPECTFULLY DO APPRECIATE KNOWING THAT INFORMATION, BUT I ALSO WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE PEDESTRIANS ARE BEING KILLED.
I WOULD JUST REMIND YOU, JANUARY 30TH, 2016, IT WAS MR. NORTON WHO WAS KILLED IN HIS WHEELCHAIR IN THE AREA BY NOT YOUR ORDINARY SCHOOL.
AND IT WAS DAVID JOHN MEDRANO WHO WAS KILLED IN 2019 AFTER CAPITOL METRO OPENED THE MIDBLOCK STOP.
SO BIKES ARE NICE, BUT I ALSO WOULD LASTLY JUST ASK YOU TO LOOK AT THE SIDEWALKS IN THE NORTH LAMORE AREA, WHICH IS ONE OF THE HIGHEST CRASH ZONES.
AND RECOGNIZE THERE IS NO SIGNAGE, THERE'S NOTHING TO LET THE BIKES KNOW WHERE TO GO, NOTHING MULTIMODAL.
AND SO IT APPEARS THAT THIS INFUSION OF THE MONEY FOR THE BIKES WILL NEVER REACH THAT AREA.
AND I WOULD JUST ASK YOU TO LOOK AT TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN IN ALL OF THE PROGRAMS, NOT JUST CERTAIN SECTIONS OF OF THE CITY.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME.
ALRIGHT, ANY QUESTIONS? BOARD? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
UH, HAVE WE BEEN JOINED BY MS. THOMPSON? NO.
IS THERE ANY ANYONE ELSE IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? ANYONE LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? HEARING NONE, UH, THEN, UH,
[IV.2. Proposed August 2025 Service Changes Presentation]
WE WILL, UH, WE WILL MOVE ON TO OUR NEXT PRESENTATION, WHICH WILL, UH, WILL, WHICH WILL BE ABOUT PROPOSED AUGUST, 2025, UH, SERVICE CHANGES FROM MS. MCGEE.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR AVIL, MEMBERS OF THE CAT METRO BOARD AND PRESIDENT AND CEO DOTIE WATKINS.
I AM JORDAN MCGEE, A SENIOR PLANNER WITH CAT METRO'S PLANNING DEPARTMENT, AND TODAY I'LL BE COVERING THE AUGUST, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES.
STARTING WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESSES, SERVICE CHANGES PROVIDE CAP METRO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST OUR SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS AND EFFICIENTLY USE OUR RESOURCES.
THIS PROCESS IS GOVERNED BY OUR BOARD
[00:25:01]
APPROVED SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES WHERE WE DEVELOP PROPOSALS, UM, WORK TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY AND OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS THROUGHOUT THESE SERVICE CHANGES OCCUR TYPICALLY THREE TIMES A YEAR IN JANUARY, JUNE AND AUGUST TO COINCIDE WITH LOCAL SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY CALENDARS.IN THE INTERIM MONTHS BETWEEN SERVICE CHANGE IMPLEMENTATIONS, KA METRO, UM, SEEKS AND INVITES COMMUNITY FEEDBACK, UM, THROUGHOUT THE YEAR ON A DAILY BASIS, WE MONITOR SERVICE, RESPOND TO CUSTOMER, UM, CARE REPORTS, AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS AND REGIONAL PARTNERS.
AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES FOR AUGUST, 2025 ARE FOCUSED ON NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENTS TO RESPOND TO, UH, CUSTOMER FEEDBACK AS WELL AS MATCH SERVICES WITH DEMAND AND TRENDS.
THIS SERVICE CHANGE FEATURES TWO MAJOR SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS, INCLUDING THE EXTENSION OF ROUTE 4 83, NIGHT OWL RIVERSIDE TO THE AIRPORT, UM, TO ENHANCE LATE NIGHT CONNECTIONS TO THE AIRPORT, TO THE RIVERSIDE AREA, AS WELL AS THE COMBINATION OF TWO UT SHUTTLE ROUTES, ROUTE SIX 70 CROSSING PLACE AND 6 71, UH, NORTH RIVERSIDE TO ALLOW FOR MORE EFFICIENT SERVICE AND HIGHER FREQUENCY WHILE MAINTAINING, UH, CONNECTIVITY AND REMOVING A ONE-WAY LOOP THAT CURRENTLY, UM, DELAYS CUSTOMERS AND CAUSES SOME TRAFFIC PROBLEMS. AND AS STUDENTS HEAD BACK, UM, TO CLASS FROM THE SUMMER BREAK, WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING THE TYPICAL TRANSITION TO NORMAL SERVICE LEVELS ON THE UT SHUTTLE, AS WELL AS SELECT SCHOOL TRIPS ON LOCAL ROUTES.
UH, WE ARE ALSO PROPOSING, UM, TO PROVIDE UT SHUTTLE SERVICE DURING THE WEEK BETWEEN SUMMER AND FALL SEMESTERS, UH, TO INCREASE ACCESS DURING UT ORIENTATION AND OTHER PREREQUISITE ACTIVITIES.
THE SERVICE WILL BE ABOUT EVERY 35 MINUTES FROM 8:00 AM TO 6:00 PM WHICH IS THE SAME LEVEL THAT WE PROVIDE, UH, DURING OTHER TRANSITIONARY PERIODS AND HELP, UM, PROVIDE AND FILL A GAP, UM, THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS TODAY IN THIS PRESENTATION.
WE'LL WALK THROUGH EACH OF THESE CHANGES IN MORE DETAIL AND IF THE APPROVED CHANGES WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED STARTING ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 17TH.
AND CAP METRO IS PROPOSING THE EXTENSION OF ROUTE 4 83 NIGHT OWL RIVERSIDE TO THE AIRPORT TO PR, UM, TO IMPROVE LATE NIGHT CONNECTIONS TO THE AIRPORT, TO THE RIVERSIDE AREA, BOTH OF WHICH SHOW PROPENSITY FOR LATE NIGHT RIDERSHIP.
OUR NIGHT OWL SERVICES OFFER SAFE AND EX INEXPENSIVE OPTIONS FOR TRAVELING LATE AT NIGHT, YEAR ROUND FROM MIDNIGHT TO 3:00 AM ON MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHTS.
UH, WE REVIEWED LATE NIGHT RIDERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE SYSTEM FROM 11:00 PM TO MIDNIGHT AS AN INDICATOR OF POTENTIAL NIGHT OWL, UM, RIDERSHIP IN AREAS WHERE THERE COULD POTENTIALLY BE A GAP OR AN AREA OF NEED.
SO THIS MAP, UM, SHOWS THE AVERAGE WEEKDAY RIDERSHIP THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM, UM, DURING THIS HOUR DEMONSTRATING HIGH USAGE, UM, AND NEED ALONG THE EAST RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR WHERE ROUTE, UH, 20 MAINOR AND RIVERSIDE CURRENTLY OPERATES.
AND ROUTE 4 83 CLOSELY MIRRORS, UM, MOST OF THIS SEGMENT.
AND YOU'LL SEE ON THE FURTHEST EASTERN PORT PORTION OF ROUTE 20 THE AIRPORT EMERGES AS A, UM, AREA OF HIGH PROPENSITY FOR LATE NIGHT USAGE.
AND CURRENTLY THERE ARE NO TRANSIT OPTIONS FROM THE AIRPORT BETWEEN ABOUT, UH, MIDNIGHT TO 5:00 AM HOWEVER, THERE ARE MORE THAN, UM, A DOZEN FLIGHTS ON AVERAGE, ESPECIALLY WITH EARLY MORNING FLIGHTS.
UM, COMMUNITY FEEDBACK HAS DEMONSTRATED VERY STRONG INTEREST IN ADDITIONAL AIRPORT CONNECTIVITY AND THIS EXTENSION PROVIDES A NEAR TERM OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CLOSE THAT GAP FOR LATE NIGHT TRAVELERS.
UM, EMPLOYER EMPLOYEES AND CUSTOMERS ON THIS SLIDE ARE SOME COMMUNITY COMMENTS THAT WE'VE REC RECENTLY RECEIVED, SUCH AS THERE, UM, THERE'S MANY AIRPORT FLIGHTS THAT ARRIVE AFTER 11:00 PM NOT INCLUDING FLIGHT DELAYS.
IT'LL BE NICE IF MIDNIGHT BUS WAS AVAILABLE FROM THE AIRPORT AS WELL AS I'VE HAD TO UBER HOME FROM THE AIRPORT JUST BECAUSE I LANDED AFTER MIDNIGHT.
AND THE PROPOSED ALIGNMENT SHOWN, UM, ON THE SCREEN ON THE RIGHT MAINTAINS CONNECTIVITY FOR ALL, UM, CURRENT USERS, SERVES EXISTING RIDERSHIP HOTSPOTS, AND THEN CONTINUES ALONG EAST RI RIVERSIDE TO CONNECT TO THE AIRPORT IN LIEU OF OPERATING IN THE ONE WAY LOOP, UM, SHOWN ON THE LEFT WHERE IT GOES DOWN BURTON TWF AND THEN CIRCLES UP PLEASANT VALLEY AND BACK ON RIVERSIDE.
THE PROPOSED ROU UH, ROUTING WILL NOW HAVE CONSISTENT BI-DIRECTIONAL SERVICE GOING DOWN BO, UM, BURTON TWF AND UP PLEASANT VALLEY, UM, CONNECTING TO THE PLEASANT VALLEY AND RIVERSIDE INTERSECTION AND KEY AREA FOR TRANSIT USAGE
[00:30:04]
EN ROUTE, UM, 4 83 NIAL RIVERSIDE WOULD CONTINUE OPERATING WITH THE CURRENT FREQUENCY AND SPAN AS IT DOES TODAY, PROVIDING LATE NIGHT CONNECTIONS FROM DOWNTOWN ALONG THE EAST, UM, RIVERSIDE CORRIDOR, UM, AND OPERATING FROM MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHTS AT MIDNIGHT TO 3:00 AM AND IF APPROVED, THE ROUTE WOULD EXTEND TO THE AIRPORT WHILE RE RETAINING ALL KEY CONNECTION POINTS AND SERVING LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS ALONG THE WAY.AND CAP METRO STAFF ADDITIONALLY REVIEWED THE UT SHUTTLE SYSTEM TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENTS FOR CUSTOMERS.
THE UT SHUTTLE NETWORK IS A UNIQUE PART OF OUR SYSTEM AS IT'S A COST SHARE BETWEEN UT AND CAP METRO AND FOCUSES ON PROVIDING SHUTTLES FROM CAMPUS TO MAJOR RESIDENTIAL AREAS FOR STUDENTS.
DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE SERVICE IN OUR ILA WITH UT, THE GOAL IS TO MATCH UT SERVICE WITH UT STUDENT HOUSING TRENDS AND EFFECTIVELY SERVE STUDENT STAFF AND FACULTY USING THESE AVAILABLE COMBINED RESOURCES.
AND THE PROPOSED CHANGES ARE CLOSELY COORDINATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND ITS UT SHUTTLE BUS COMMITTEE.
FOR THIS SERVICE CHANGE, WE IDENTIFIED A NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENT TO, UH, COMBINE UT SHUTTLE ROUTE SIX 70 CROSSING PLACE IN 6 71 NORTH RIVERSIDE WHILE MAINTAINING FULL CONNECTIVITY, SERVING ALL EXISTING STOPS AND IMPROVING FREQUENCY TO APPROXIMATELY EVERY 10 MINUTES DURING MOST OF THE DAY.
THE BLUE LINES ON THE MAP ARE THE TWO EXISTING ROUTES TODAY.
UM, WHILE THE RED DASH LINE IS THE PROPOSED COMBINED, UM, ROUTE, IT WOULD CONTINUE TO OPERATE FROM UT NEAR THE SAN JACINTO UNDER LOS DOTS INTERSECTION DOWN I 35 THROUGH NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA, UM, AND WILL CONNECT ALONG ELMONT, WICKERSHAM AND CROSSING PLACE.
THE COMBINATION ALSO ALLOWS FOR CONSISTENT BIDIRECTIONAL SERVICE AS CURRENT ROUTE 6 71.
USERS CURRENTLY HAVE TO SIT THROUGH, UM, A POTENTIALLY LONG TIME POINT DUE TO THE ONE WAY LOOP AT THE END OF THE LINE.
SO THE TRAVEL TIME FOR ROUTE 6 71 CUSTOMERS MAY ACTUALLY BE REDUCED COMPARED TO WHAT IT IS TODAY.
AND FOR CURRENT SIX 70 CUSTOMERS, IT'LL BE A MINIMAL TOTAL TRAVEL TIME ADJUSTMENT OF POTENTIALLY THREE TO FOUR MINUTES.
AND THIS PROPOSED COMBINATION ALSO BUILDS ON THE RECENT SUCCESSFUL COMBINATION OF UT SHUTTLE ROUTE SIX 40 AND 6 41.
IN THE LESSONS LEARNED, UM, FROM THAT RECENT SERVICE CHANGE AND TODAY ROUTE SIX 70 CROSSING PLACE, UM, TRAVELS DIRECTLY, UM, NONSTOP ALONG THE RIVERSIDE AREA AND CONNECTS DIRECTLY TO CROSSING PLACE, UM, WITH BIDIRECTIONAL SERVICE.
6 71 SHOWN IN THE LIGHTER BLUE, UM, HAS FOUR ONE-WAY STOPS ALONG ELMONT, UM, AND WICKERSHAM.
SO THIS COMBINATION MAINTAINS SERVICE TO ALL EXISTING STOPS AND ACTUALLY CREATES NEW BIDIRECTIONAL STOPS DIRECTLY ALONG ELMONT WICKERSHAM AND THEN UP THROUGH CROSSING PLACE, UM, WITH A MINIMAL TOTAL TRAVEL TIME ADJUSTMENT OF JUST ABOUT THREE MINUTES, UM, FROM END OF LINE TO END OF LINE.
AND CONTINUED TRENDS SHOW HIGH MIGRATION, UM, OF UT STUDENTS FROM THE RIVERSIDE AREA WITH A 74% DECREASE OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.
THESE TRENDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE DUE TO THE CLOSURE OR TURNOVER OF MANY STUDENT HOUSING COMPLEXES IN THE AREA AND CONTINUED CONCENTRATION OF STUDENTS IN THE DIRECT PERIPHERY OF CAMPUS, ESPECIALLY AS WEST CAMPUS CONTINUES TO GROW.
AND COLLECTIVELY WE CAN SEE HOW RESOURCES MATCH STUDENT HOUSING, UM, AND RIDERSHIP.
SO OVERALL, THE THREE UT SHUTTLE ROUTES WITHIN THE RIVERSIDE AREA, INCLUDING 6 76 71 AND 6 72 COMPRISE 40% OF THE UT SHUTTLE SERVICE HOURS, BUT ONLY 1% OF THE ESTIMATED STUDENT POPULATION AND 16% OF THE UT SHUTTLE'S RIDERSHIP REPRESENTING AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST, UH, RESOURCES BASED ON DEMAND AND CAP.
METRO STAFF ALSO REVIEWED COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND REQUESTS FOR THE UT UM, SHUTTLE SYSTEM.
THE FEEDBACK REFLECTED THE IMPORTANCE OF FREQUENCY OVER TRAVEL TIME AND PREFERENCE FOR HIGHER STOP COVERAGE ALONG UT SHUTTLE ROUTES.
UM, CUSTOMERS AND OPERATORS ALSO REPORTED CONCERNS ABOUT ROUTE SIX 70 ONES, UM, TIME POINT THAT CURRENTLY DELAYS CUSTOMERS, UM, AFTER, UM, PICKUP
[00:35:01]
AND BEFORE DROP OFF AND ALSO IMPEDES TRAFFIC FLOW.AND CAMP METRO ALSO PRESENTED, UM, THE RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS TO THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AND IT'S UT SHUTTLE BUS COMMITTEE, WHICH FORMALLY AND UNANIMOUSLY APPROVED THESE RECOMMENDED ADJUSTMENTS.
THE UT SHUTTLE BUS COMMITTEE SOLICITS INPUT FROM STUDENTS, STAFF AND FACULTY AND SERVES AS A FORMAL CHANNEL, UM, FOR, UH, COMMUNICATION AND OUTLET.
UM, AND ACTION ON UT ITEMS AHEAD, I'LL DISCUSS MORE OF THE ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND THE FEEDBACK THAT WE HEARD FOR THE SERVICE CHANGE.
AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS ARE CLASSIFIED AS A MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE AS TWO OPERATING ROUTES ARE COMBINED INTO ONE.
AS PART OF THE UT SHUTTLE ADJUSTMENTS AND THE EXTENSION OF ROUTE 4 83, NIAL RIVERSIDE TO THE AIRPORT INCREASES ITS ANNUAL REVENUE MILES BY MORE THAN 25% COMPARED TO, UM, TODAY.
SINCE THESE ARE MAJOR SERVICE CHANGES KEPT METRO CONDUCTED A TITLE SIX, UM, SERVICE EQUITY ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE PLAN CHANGES WOULD HAVE A DISPARATE IMPACT ON THE BASE OF RACE, COLOR, OR NATIONAL ORIGIN.
WHETHER LOW INCOME POPULATIONS WILL BEAR A DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN OF THE CHANGES.
THE EXTENSION OF ROUTE 4 83 NAL RIVERSIDE AMOUNTS TO AN APPROXIMATE INCREASE OF 21,000 ANNUAL REVENUE MILES.
NO DISPARATE IMPACT OR DISPROPORTIONATE BURDEN WAS IDENTIFIED IN THIS CHANGE.
WE'LL EXPAND SERVICE FOR LATE NIGHT CUSTOMERS IN THE RIVERSIDE AREA, INCLUDING MINORITY AND LOW INCOME COMMUNITIES FOR UT SHUTTLE ROUTE SIX 70 AND 6 71.
UM, THIS AMOUNTED TO AN APPROXIMATE DECREASE OF 84,000 ANNUAL REVENUE MILES, WHICH DEMONSTRATED A POTENTIAL DISPARATE IMPACT AND A POTENTIAL DISPARATE UM, BURDEN.
UM, HOWEVER, THE IMPACT TO CURRENT CUSTOMERS IS MINIMAL, AS SOME CUSTOMERS CAN EXPECT.
UM, AN EXTENT OF ADDITIONAL THREE MINUTES IN TRAVEL TIME.
UM, FULL CONNECTIVITY WILL BE MAINTAINED.
ALL EXISTING STOPS WILL STILL HAVE SERVICE WITH IMPROVED FREQUENCY.
AND AS STUDENTS HEAD BACK FROM THE SUMMER, UM, BREAK AND BACK INTO THE CLASSROOMS, WE PROPOSE TYPICAL TRANSITION TO NORMAL SERVICE LEVELS ON UT SHUTTLE ROUTES AND SCHOOL TRIPS ON LOCAL ROUTES FOR 2 17, 3 15 AND 3 33.
UM, SCHOOL TRIPS WILL NOT RETURN ON ROUTE 3 37 BECAUSE RAPID 8 37 STOPS AT THE LBJ HIGH SCHOOL.
ADDITIONALLY, WE'RE PROPOSING, UH, TO PROVIDE UT SHUTTLE SERVICE DURING THE WEEK OF TRANSITION BETWEEN THE SUMMER AND FALL, UM, SEMESTERS THAT EVERY 35 MINUTES FROM EIGHT DM TO 6:00 PM UM, AND LIKE I MENTIONED EARLIER, THIS IS THE SAME LEVEL OF SERVICE PROVIDED DURING OTHER TRANSITIONARY PERIODS AND WILL HELP INCREASE ACCESS DURING ORIENTATION AND OTHER PREREQUISITE ACTIVITIES.
AND THEN TO IMPROVE ON TIME PERFORMANCE RELIABILITY AND BETTER SERVE CUSTOMERS, SELECT ROUTES MAY RECEIVE SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS.
UM, CURRENTLY WE'RE EVALUATING SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS TO POTENTIALLY INCLUDE AN ADJUSTMENT OF SIX FORTY'S LAYOVER ADDITIONAL EVENING TRIPS ON, UH, ROUTE 2 71, UM, AND MINOR ROUTING ADJUSTMENTS ON ROUTE FOUR 90 AND 4 93.
IN OUR SERVICE CHANGE PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PLAN AIMS TO KEEP CUSTOMERS INFORMED AND INVOLVED ON THE POTENTIAL, UM, CHANGES AND GATHER INPUT TO GUIDE OUR DECISION MAKING PROCESS.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT KICKED OFF ON MARCH 18TH AND COINCIDED WITH THE ENGAGEMENT ON THE PROPOSED BIKE SHARE UPDATES HEARD EARLIER TODAY.
THE BIKE SHARE, UH, FAIR UPDATES ARE A SEPARATE ITEM FROM THE AUGUST SERVICE CHANGE.
UM, BUT IT WOULD SIMILARLY BE IMPLEMENTED, UM, IN AUGUST.
SO OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS, UM, CAP METRO STAFF HAVE DIRECTLY SPOKE WITH OVER 175 CUSTOMERS AND 25 UM, OPERATORS DURING AT STOP OUTREACH AND ONBOARD OUTREACH.
THE COMMUNITY ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO COMMENT ON THE WEBPAGE, PARTICIPATE IN A PUBLIC, UM, VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETING, ATTEND THE FORMALLY SCHEDULED PUBLIC HEARING TODAY, AS WELL AS ENGAGE THROUGH, UM, OTHER FEEDBACK CHANNELS, UM, THAT ARE ON THE, UH, SLIDE IN MORE DETAIL.
WE ALSO HAVE, UM, AT STOP SIGNAGE ALONG ALL, UM, CORRIDORS POTENTIALLY AFFECTED BY THIS SERVICE CHANGE AS WELL.
AND NOTIFICATIONS WERE SENT OUT TO, UM, ALL TECH SUBSCRIBERS AND EMAILS WERE SENT TO, UM, OVER 10,000 CUSTOMERS.
AND FEEDBACK FROM THE CUSTOMERS AND OPERATORS HAVE BEEN VERY POSITIVE.
[00:40:01]
THE, UM, KNIGHT A EXTENSION TO THE AIRPORT.UM, SOME COMMENTS HAVE INCLUDED, UM, THE KNIGHT, ALEX, EXTENSION DOWN RIVERSIDE FOR THE 4 83 WILL BE A GAME CHANGER.
AND ALL ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS WILL BE SUMMARIZED AND SHARED WITH THE BOARD PRIOR, UM, TO TAKING IT TO THE BOARD FOR APPROVAL ON THE 21ST.
AND LASTLY, UH, COLLABORATING WITH OUR REGIONAL PARTNERS AND MEMBER CITIES IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF OUR SERVICE CHANGE PROCESS AND FOR OVERALL ACHIEVING THE AGENCY'S VISION, THE CAP METRO GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS AND REGIONAL PLANNING TEAM AND CLOSE COORDINATION WITH PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT STAFF.
UH, CONTINUE TO FACILITATE ENGAGEMENT OPPORTUNITIES ON ONGOING COMMUNICATION WITH ALL CITIES WITHIN CAP METRO SERVICE AREA.
AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO WORK WITH EACH JURISDICTION TO UNDERSTAND THEIR FEEDBACK, EVALUATE EXISTING AND FUTURE SCENARIOS, MODEL ANY POTENTIAL SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS AND WORK TOGETHER, UM, THROUGH ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES AS PART OF THE SERVICE CHANGE AND TRANSIT PLAN PROCESS.
UM, AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY POTENTIAL QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
UM, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS? UH, BOARD MEMBER VELA, UH, JUST TO COMMENT, UH, JUST APPRECIATE STAFF SNIFFING OUT THE, UH, EFFICIENCIES IN THE SYSTEM AND THE EXTENSION OF THE, THE NIGHT OWL TO THE AIRPORT.
UH, IT SEEMS LIKE AN EXCELLENT IDEA, SO NO, IT LOOKS GREAT.
OKAY, OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, OTHER QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, UH, HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL OPEN
[V. Public Comment]
UP, UH, PUBLIC COMMENT AND UH, WE HAVE ONE SPEAKER WHO SIGNED UP AHEAD OF TIME WAS GOING TO BE REMOTE, BUT I UNDERSTAND THIS.UM, UH, MS. JOSEPH, YOU HERE IF YOU WOULD, UM, LIKE TO BEGIN.
I'M OPIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION.
I DID ATTEND THE APRIL 9TH, 2025 VIRTUAL PRESENTATION.
YOU'LL SEE THAT I HAVE STATED VIEWPOINT DISCRIMINATION.
PETER BRETTON WAS THE STAFFER THAT WAS ON THE LINE.
YOU'LL SEE WHERE MY COMMENTS WERE POSTED.
HE IGNORED THOSE COMMENTS AND I ONLY STATED THOSE THAT WERE AFTER MINE.
IF YOU LOOK ON THE LEFT SIDE, YOU'LL SEE THAT THIS IS THE SIGN THAT WAS AT REPUBLIC SQUARE.
FAR FEWER THAN WHEN THERE'S A RACE IN AUSTIN.
IT WAS DOWN BELOW THE SCHEDULE, NOT IN A VISIBLE PLACE WHERE INDIVIDUALS COULD SEE IT.
I HAPPENED TO BE GOING TO SIGN UP AT CITY HALL FOR THE COUNCIL MEETING AND HAPPENED TO GLANCE I SAW IT AND SO I ATTENDED THE MEETING.
YOU'LL SEE THAT MY OPPOSITION IS BECAUSE MORE COULD BE DONE.
YOU HAVE ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THE STAFF IGNORES THOSE OPPORTUNITIES IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN.
CHEETO VELA HAS HEARD ME SAY THIS AS HAVE THE OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS.
I JUST PRESENTED THIS ON THURSDAY.
YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY APPROVED AN ITEM.
THIS IS SPECIFICALLY NORTH LAMAR BY GRADY.
IT IS NOT A DA COMPLIANT IF YOU'RE IN A WHEELCHAIR WALKER OR A CANE, THERE IS NO WAY FOR YOU TO GET FROM MASTERS AND STATION TO CHINATOWN.
AND SO THAT IS AN ISSUE THAT I WOULD ASK YOU TO RECOGNIZE AND TO CHANGE IT AS IT RELATES TO THESE AUGUST, 2025 SERVICE CHANGES.
CAN YOU SEE THE BLACK MAN ON HIS BICYCLE? PROBABLY NOT, BUT THIS IS A COMPLETE PROJECT.
THIS IS WHAT SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOLS LOOK LIKE ON 3 92 COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY.
YOU'LL SEE HOWEVER, UT PRIVILEGED BEFORE THE FACILITY WAS EVEN CONSTRUCTED, CAPITOL METRO HAD THE SHELTER IN PLACE.
BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD PAIRED STOP.
BUT DOWN BELOW THIS IS THE COMPLETED PROJECT, COPPERFIELD ELEMENTARY.
YOU JUST HEARD MS. MCGEE TELL YOU ABOUT ISSUES AND OPPORTUNITIES.
THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO DO SOMETHING BETTER FOR THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BOARDING 3 92.
HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU CAN DO.
THIS IS 12TH AND CHICON NOW GENTRIFIED.
HOWEVER, THE BLACK HISTORY IS STILL THERE.
THIS IS WHAT THE CITY DOES FOR THE GENTRIFIED WHITE INDIVIDUALS BOARDING THE BUSES.
THIS IS AT NIGHT AND THIS IS WHAT I'M ASKING YOU TO DO IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, WHERE YOU HAVE OVER 2000 APARTMENT UNITS, NO SHELTERS AND NO LIGHTS.
I JUST WANNA REMIND YOU THAT IT WAS IN 2016 THAT YOU CREATED THIS DISCRIMINATORY SYSTEM.
ON THE RIGHT SIDE IS SOUTHWEST CENTRAL AUSTIN.
[00:45:01]
ON THE LEFT, YOU CAN SEE THERE'S NOTHING THERE.NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY WAS ELIMINATED.
SO WHERE'S THE EQUITY? IT'S NOT THERE.
180 3 AND IT'S STILL NOT THERE.
TODAY I'M ASKING YOU TO RESTORE NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY ON ROUTE 3 92, 3 23, AND ALSO 3 25.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'LL GLADLY ANSWER THEM AT THIS TIME AND REMIND YOU THAT PROPAGANDA IS IN VIOLATION OF THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP.
THANK YOU BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
ALRIGHT, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE, UH, IN THE, UH, BOARDROOM WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? THIRD TIME? ANYONE WHO WOULD LIKE TO MAKE A COMMENT? UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THEN WE WILL, WE WILL CLOSE TODAY'S PUBLIC HEARING AND STAND ADJOURNED.