Jun 23, 2025 Cap Metro

UH, GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.

MY NAME IS GARDNER TABBAN.

I SERVE AS CAPITAL METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER HERE TODAY WITH YOUR SAFETY BRIEFING.

AND SO, UH, FIRST THING OF IMPORTANCE IS YOUR LOCATION.

YOU'RE LOCATED HERE AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET AND YOU'RE IN THE ROSA PARKS BOARDROOM.

UH, IN THE EVENT OF AN EMERGENCY SECURITY OR A POLICE DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS RIGHT OUTSIDE THESE DOORS, UH, WILL DIAL 9 1 1 AND WE TAKE THE APPROPRIATE, UH, ACTIONS IN THE EVENT OF AN UNLIKELY EVACUATION.

WE'RE ASKING EVERYONE WHETHER YOU HAVE TO EXIT FROM, UH, THE DOOR TO MY RIGHT OR LEFT, THAT WE PROCEED ALL THE WAY TO, UH, 3,100, WHICH IS THE NEXT, UM, UH, PARKING LOT, UM, JUST ADJACENT TO THIS EAST LOT HERE.

IF YOU HAVE ANY MOBILITY CHALLENGES AND WE HAVE TO EVACUATE FROM THAT DOOR, PLEASE WAIT AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND SOMEONE WILL BE THERE TO ASSIST YOU.

UH, SHOULD WE HAVE A NEED FOR AN A ED? UH, PLEASE PROCEED OUT OF, UH, THESE DOUBLE DOORS HERE AND MAKE THE RIGHT TO OUR ELEVATOR.

AND JUST TO THE LEFT, YOU'LL FIND AN A ED.

AND TO MY LEFT, NEXT TO MY COLLEAGUE, THERE IS A FIRE EXTINGUISHER COLLEAGUE, WOULD YOU PLEASE BE KIND ENOUGH TO SHOW EVERYONE WHETHER WELL, WHAT YOU HAVE AN AS YOU HAVE AN ASSISTANT? WELL, THINGS HAVE CHANGED AROUND HERE AND I WASN'T SURE.

AND THAT CONCLUDES YOUR, UH, YOUR BRIEFING.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THE NEXT ITEM ON OUR AGENDA IS OUR

[III. Public Comment (Part 1 of 2)]

PUBLIC COMMENT.

EACH SPEAKER HAS THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ON ONE AGENDA ITEM, AND IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE ITEMS YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK ON, YOUR TIME LIMIT IS FIVE MINUTES.

WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE SIGNED UP TO SPEAK TODAY.

UM, MS. JOSEPH, ARE YOU ONLINE WITH US? MADAM CHAIR? I HAVE NOT SEEN MS. JOSEPH JOIN US TODAY.

I WILL, UH, GIVE YOU A SIGNAL IF I SEE HER.

COME ON.

UM, WE WILL GO TO OUR NEXT SPEAKER.

CARLOS LEON, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES.

MIXTURE OF EXPECTATIONS AND RULES, MEANING CLARIFICATION AND REVISION.

MAKE SURE YOU HIT THE BUTTON.

TURN YOUR MICROPHONE.

IT TURNS GREEN, RIGHT? THERE YOU GO.

SO, CARLOS LEONE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, CIA OL FOR LETTING ME SPEAK FOR FIVE MINUTES TOTAL ON AGENDA ITEMS 2, 3, 5, AND SEVEN PER YOUR RULES.

IN FRONT OF YOU IS MY 20 PAGE COMMENT, BACKUP MATERIAL TO WHICH I WILL REFER.

CAP METRO IS GOVERNED BY TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE CHAPTER 4 51 4 51 0.0014 DEFINES MASS TRANSIT AS THE TRANSPORTATION OF PASSENGERS AND HAND CARRIED PACKAGES OR BAGGAGE OF A PASSENGER BY A SURFACE MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION, INCLUDING MOTOR BUS.

THOUGH STATE CODE NEITHER LIMITS THE NUMBER OF PACKAGES OR BAGS A PASSENGER BRINGS ON BOARD, NOR THE NUMBER OF SEATS A PASSENGER USES.

THOSE CRITERIA WERE WRONGLY USED TO ILLEGALLY DENY ME SERVICE.

FOLLOWING MY JUNE 11 TESTIMONY TO YOUR OPERATIONS PLANNING AND SAFETY COMMITTEE, MR. DARRELL JAMELL, SENIOR DIRECTOR, PUBLIC SAFETY AND EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT TOLD ME ALL CAP METRO PERSONNEL ARE BEING INFORMED I HAVE NOT BEEN SUSPENDED AND THAT NEITHER MY STUFF NOR SEATS USED WOULD PROHIBIT ME FROM BOARDING.

AS LONG AS I SECURE AND CONTROL MY GEAR AND DO NOT BLOCK THE AISLE OR ACCESS FOR OTHER RIDERS EQUALLY APPLY THOSE STANDARDS TO ALL RIDERS BECAUSE SOME DRIVERS ARE STILL PASSING ME UP, BREAKING THE LAW AND DISOBEYING JAMEL TO WHOM THOSE CRIMINALS ARE BEING REPORTED.

PART OF THE PROBLEM IS CAP METRO'S CODE OF CONDUCT, A MISLEADING

[00:05:01]

BULLET FOURTEENS, CUSTOMERS ARE ALLOWED ONE SEAT AND SHOULD AVOID TAKING UP MORE SPACE THAN ALLOWED ARE EXPECTATIONS, NOT RULES, NOT SAYING ONE SEAT ONLY AND MUST AVOID TAKING UP MORE SPACE THAN ALLOWED TACITLY AND TRUTHFULLY CONVEY A PASSENGER CAN USE MORE THAN ONE SEAT.

YET SOME DRIVERS AND SUPERVISORS MISINTERPRET THE EXPECTATION AS AN ENFORCEABLE RULE POINTING TO BUS CABIN SIGNAGE SAYING ONE FARE, ONE SEAT.

TAKING UP MORE THAN ONE SEAT INTERFERES WITH OTHER PASSENGERS.

COMFORT AND YOUR SAFETY.

FALSE SPACE BETWEEN RIDER INCREASES COMFORT AND SAFETY WITHOUT WARNING RIDER.

ACTUALLY, GUPTA WAS STABBED TO DEATH BY THE GUY SITTING NEXT TO HIM ON THE 8 0 3 AND DENYING SERVICE TO HOMELESS WRITERS WITH MULTIPLE BAGS, USING MULTIPLE SEATS DISCRIMINATES BY INCOME LEVEL, VIOLATING CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS YOU MUST FOLLOW TO RECEIVE FEDERAL FUNDING.

THAT'S ONE OF MANY WAYS.

TARGETED WRITERS ARE HARASSED BY DRIVERS AND SUPERVISORS.

YOU SUBCONTRACT FROM PRIVATE ENTITY FIRST TRANSIT, WHO ACT ABOVE THE LAW FALSELY BELIEVING THEY ARE NOT PUBLIC SERVANTS, THOUGH TEXAS PENAL CODE 1.07 A 41 A'S DEFINITION OF PUBLIC SERVANT INCLUDE A PERSON EMPLOYED AS AN EMPLOYEE OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE ALIEN SATANIC UPSIDE DOWN.

THEY OPPOSITELY SPEAK AND ACT TO TRY FLIPPING THE TRUE LEGAL POWER RELATION OF PUBLIC WRITER OVER PUBLIC SERVANT DRIVER TO TRY MAKING US WRONGLY WAIT ON ACCOMMODATE AND SERVE THEM, WHICH THEY HAVE TO RIGHTLY DO FOR US BY LAW PASSING US UP, UNLAWFULLY RESTRAINING US AND INITIATING AND ESCALATING CONFRONTATIONS WITH US ARE THREE EXAMPLES.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER I SPOKE HERE JUNE 11, THE BUS I RIGHTLY BOARDED RIGHT OUTSIDE THIS BUILDING WAS WRONGLY STOPPED BY SUPERVISORS WHO TOLD ME I WAS NOT ALLOWED TO RIDE WITH MY GEAR PER VICE PRESIDENT OF BUS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE MILES TURIN'S ORDER ALLEGED ILLEGAL RETALIATION AGAINST ME FOR BLOWING THE WHISTLE ON HIM TO CEO WATKINS VIA METRO TRANSIT.

V MEC ALSO SAYS TURIN CANNOT DO THAT BECAUSE KAT METRO IS A PUBLIC GOVERNMENTAL UNIT COMMON CARRIER THAT MUST EXERCI EXERCISE A HIGH DEGREE OF CARE FOR US RIDERS, MEANING THE DEGREE OF CARE THAT WOULD BE USED BY A VERY CAUTIOUS, COMPETENT, AND PRUDENT PERSON UNDER THE SAME OR SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES.

USE THAT CONTROLLING LEGAL STANDARD TO DRIVE YOUR DECISION MAKING HEARKENING MATTHEW 25 40 WHERE JESUS SAYS, VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU.

AND AS MUCH AS YOU'VE DONE IT UNTIL ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE, MY BRETHREN, HE HAVE DONE IT UNTO ME.

FOR EXAMPLE, FINISH UPDATING AND REINSTALLING RAPID BUS STOP DIGITAL SIGNAGE SHOWING REAL TIME ARRIVALS AND MAKE NEW UMO.

31 DAY BUS PASSES TO MONTHLY FAIR CAPPING WITHOUT ONLINE REGISTRATION.

IN JESUS' NAME I PRAY.

AMEN.

THANK YOU BOARD, HAVE A GREAT MEETING.

GET SOME RECLINERS, I SEEN A DRIVER OUT THERE SLEEPING ON THE BENCH WITH NO SHOES AND THE HEAT.

UM, NEXT UP TO SPEAK IS MS. 10, NEIL ADAMS. YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.

YES MA'AM.

GOOD EVENING.

UH, I'M A BUS OPERATOR FIRST, I WANT THANK Y'ALL FOR THE POLICE PRESENCE.

UH, I'M HERE TO SPEAK ON THE MANAGEMENT.

YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT'S PROBABLY TIME FOR Y'ALL TO NEGOTIATE.

KEOLIS HAS GIVEN US, CERTAIN MANAGERS HAS GIVEN US OPEN DOOR POLICY WHERE WE CAN GO TALK TO 'EM.

I'M HOPING THAT THE BOARD, UH, GIVE KEOLIS ANOTHER CHANCE SO THAT THEY CAN WORK WITH OUR UNION.

OUR UNION CAN WORK WITH THEM.

IT'S KIND OF COMPLICATED FOR OUR UNION TO WORK WITH NEW COMPANIES 'CAUSE THEY HAVE TO START OVER FROM THE BOTTOM AND GET TO KNOW SOMEBODY.

SO IT'S NOT FAIR FOR US.

UNION PAIR, UNION DUES, PAIRS, UH, WHEN Y'ALL BRING IN A NEW COMPANY AND THEN OUR UNION HAVE TO START ALL OVER FROM THE BOTTOM.

IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THE UNION AIN'T WORKING FOR US.

AND IT MAKES IT LOOK LIKE THE COMPANY'S JUST OUT TO GET US.

LIKE I SAY, CERTAIN MANAGERS HAS GIVEN US AN OPEN DOOR POLICY.

I HAVEN'T HAD THAT SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, UH, ALMOST FOUR YEARS.

SO I'M HOPING THAT Y'ALL WOULD GIVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KILL THIS TO BE HERE ANOTHER TERM TO WORK WITH OUR UNION INSTEAD OF SWITCHING IT IN THE MIDST OF CONTRACT NEGOTIATION.

HOWEVER Y'ALL SWITCH IT.

OTHER THAN THAT, THAT'S, OH, AND Y'ALL WILL KEEP MORE DRIVERS HERE AT WORK.

IF Y'ALL WAS TO

[00:10:01]

UH, I WORKED OUT A EXTRA BOARD FOR ALMOST SIX YEARS AND I WOULD WORK THIS EXTRA BOARD JUST AS LONG AS IF WE HAD DECENT PLACES TO REST WHILE WE, WHILE WE HERE, A LOT OF US BE HERE 16, 17 HOURS A DAY, THEN HAVE TO GO HOME AND TURN AROUND AND DO IT AGAIN.

SO PLEASE CONSIDER THE $5,000 FOR EACH LOCATION, UH, SOME, UH, RECLINERS, BUT WE CAN TRY TO GET SOME REST.

THANK Y'ALL.

THAT'S A GOOD SUGGESTION.

WE'LL TAKE THAT UNDER ADVISEMENT.

UM, THERE ARE STILL SEVERAL YEARS LEFT ON THE KEILA CONTRACT.

MS. JOSEPH HASN'T JOINED US, SO WE WILL MOVE ON.

UM, IS THERE ANYBODY IN THE ROOM THAT WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK THAT DIDN'T SIGN UP? YES, MA'AM.

YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES AND THEN IF YOU'LL FILL OUT A CARD WITH MR. EASTON IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM WHEN YOU'RE DONE.

YES.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS LYNETTE JOHNSON AND I'M CALLING ON BEHALF OF THE SCHEDULING BY YOUR POLICY.

WE SUPPOSED TO CALL A DAY IN ADVANCE THE SCHEDULE FOR OUR RIDES.

WHEN WE CALLED FOR OUR SCHEDULE FOR OUR RIDE, WE SCHEDULED TO BE PICKED UP AT THE CERTAIN TIME THAT WE DID.

A COUPLE OF WEEKS, OR LAST MONTH IS THE THIRD TIME.

THIS DRIVER, Y'ALL HAVE HAD CAUSED ME TO MISS OTHER APPOINTMENT WITH THE SCHEDULE THAT I HAVE.

AND HE WAS RUDE WHEN HE PICKED ME UP.

YOU SUPPOSED TO TAKE ME TO MY DESTINATION AS I HAD SCHEDULED.

SO DID THAT PERSON TAKING ME TO MY DESTINATION.

HE TOOK ME ALL OVER AUSTIN.

I WAS WAY OUT ON NORTH LAMAR.

I WAS WAY OUT ON WEST LAKE.

I WAS AT WEST STATE, I WAS AT AUSTIN STATE HOSPITAL.

I WAS WAY OUT ON AIRPORT.

AND THEN HE HAD THIS CERTAIN RIDER.

IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME YOU HAD THIS CERTAIN RIDER BY YOUR POLICY.

NO FOOD OR EATING IS ALLOWED ON THE BUS, CORRECT? I MEAN, YOU CAN TAKE FOOD IF IT'S COVERED, YOU'RE TAKING IT HOME.

BUT I MEAN, ACTUALLY EATING ON THE BUS, IS THAT ALLOWED? YES.

NO MA'AM.

IT'S NO MA'AM, IT'S NOT ALLOWED.

THIS PERSON HAS THIS PARTY ON THIS BUS THE THIRD TIME WITH ME AND DROVE ME ALL AROUND.

AND I DIDN'T GET HOME UNTIL ABOUT SIX O'CLOCK AND MY PICKUP WAS AT ONE 30.

AND I, I WANNA KNOW WHY IS IT, UM, THAT CERTAIN DRIVERS OR RUTH, AND THEN WHEN HE TOOK ME HOME, HE HAS THE GALL EARTH TO BOOST ABOUT IT.

I'M GLAD YOU TOOK MY PICTURE ON CAPITOL METRO, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH.

HAVE A NICE DAY.

AND I HAVE, I HAVE PROOF OF IT AND I HAVE THE BUS NUMBER OF IT.

I HAVE VIDEO PROOF OF THIS PERSON, UH, TO KEEP IN CASE I WANT TO GO A LITTLE BIT FARTHER AND FILE AGAINST IT BECAUSE I I DID NOTHING WRONG TO DESERVE THAT.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMENTS.

AND I'M SORRY YOU HAD THAT EXPERIENCE.

WE, WE WILL SEE ABOUT HAVING IT ADDRESSED.

I, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE EXPERIENCE THAT YOU HAD.

MR. JACKSON IS HERE AND HE CAN SPEAK WITH YOU OUTSIDE.

YES, MA'AM.

THAT, BUT THAT'S THE THIRD TIME THAT SAME DRIVER DID THAT TO ME, CAUSED ME TO, UH, MISS MY OTHER PICKUP WITH Y'ALL AS I HAD SCHEDULED AND MY APPOINTMENTS.

I JUST, WE CERTAINLY WANT TO ADDRESS THAT.

MR. JACKSON CAN HELP YOU WITH THAT.

PUBLIC INPUT WEBPAGE@CAPUBLICINPUT.COM SLASH CAP, METRO PUBLIC SAFETY, ALL ONE WORD.

ALRIGHT, ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO SPEAK? THAT WILL CONCLUDE OUR PUBLIC COMMENTS.

AND NEXT UP WE HAVE OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEE

[IV. Advisory Committee Updates]

UPDATES.

MR. BRETON.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

SECRETARY ROSS, DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS PETER BRETT AND I'M THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE, OUR ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES HAVE MET THE ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION AND ADVISORY COMMITTEES.

BOTH RECEIVED AN INITIAL REVIEW OF THE FY 26 BUDGET FROM EMMANUEL TUONG, THE DIRECTOR OF BUDGET AND FINANCIAL PLANNING, AS WELL AS A PRESENTATION ON OUR CODE OF CONDUCT FROM OUR CHIEF OF STAFF, CHEYENNE CONY.

MANY THANKS TO CHEYENNE AND EMMANUEL FOR SHARING THEIR TIME WITH THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

IN ADDITION TO THOSE MEETINGS, WE ALSO HELD A PROGRAM STRATEGIES AND POLICIES SUBCOMMITTEE MEETING ON MAY 29TH, WHERE WE DISCUSSED THE LAST ROUND OF TPD POLICY ENGAGEMENT.

FOR THIS YEAR, ALL MATERIALS FOR OUR SUBCOMMITTEE MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THE CAP METRO

[00:15:01]

THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH.

AND IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER 'EM.

DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, ANYONE? ALRIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

APPRECIATE THAT.

NEXT UP WILL BE OUR REGULAR

[V. Board Committee Updates]

BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.

UH, CHAIR BELLA IS OUT THIS MONTH, SO WE'LL SKIP OUR OPERATIONS COMMITTEE.

UM, BUT CHAIR HARRIS, IF YOU WILL GIVE US REPORTS FOR THE FINANCING.

CAMPO PLEASE.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR.

UH, THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MADE ON WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11TH AT 10:00 AM IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES, WE ALSO APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION, UH, WHICH IS ON THE CONSENT AGENDA, A CONTRACT USING OMNIA PARTNERS COOPERATIVE, UH, HELD BY DLT SOLUTIONS FOR ORACLE PRODUCT SERVICES, UH, FOR THE ERP SYSTEM.

IN ADDITION, WE ALSO, UH, APPROVED AND RECOMMENDED FOR ADOPTION OF THE CAPITAL METRO CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY STATEMENT.

AND THAT CONCLUDED THE MEETING FOR, UH, THE FAA COMMITTEE.

UH, WITH RESPECT TO CAMPO CAMPO MET ON, UH, JUNE 9TH, UH, IN ADDITION TO APPROVING THE MINUTES, THEY ALSO APPROVED, UH, AND, UH, ADOPTED THE FISCAL 26 AND 27 UNIFIED PLANNING AND WORK PROGRAM.

UM, IN ADDITION, UH, WE ALSO, UH, ADOPTED A CA OR STAFF RECOMMENDED AND WE ADOPTED THE, UH, 26 THROUGH 29 CALL FOR PROJECTS FOR TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES SET ASIDE AND CARBON REDUCTION, UH, PROGRAM GRANTS, UH, OF WHICH THERE WERE 30 PROJECTS SUBMITTED AND WE, WE APPROVED 10 OF THOSE IN ADDITION.

FINALLY, WE ALSO HAD PRESENTATIONS FROM STAFF ON WORK ZONE SAFETY ACTIVITIES, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY, UH, THE CAMP REGIONAL SAFETY ACTION PLAN, AND, UH, THE, UH, CAMPOS, UM, IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CENTRAL TRAFFIC CENTRAL TEXAS TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

AND DEPUTY CEO KERRY BUTCHER WILL GIVE OUR A TP UPDATE.

THANK YOU MADAM CHAIR IN, UH, CHAIR TVI AND CEO WATKINS ABSENCE.

I CAN GIVE A VERY BRIEF UPDATE ON THE LAST AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP BOARD MEETING.

THEY LAST MET ON MAY 21ST.

THEY TOOK UP FIVE ACTION ITEMS. THE SUBSTANTIVE ONES WERE AUTHORIZING RENEWING A, UM, AN EXISTING AGREEMENT WITH ERNST AND YOUNG, WHO IS DOING A GREAT DEAL OF CONSULTING WORK.

UM, ON THE, ON THE PROJECT, THEY AUTHORIZED A NEW CONTRACT FOR AUDITING SERVICES AND THEN THEY APPOINTED MEMBERS TO THE NEW AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL ADVISORY GROUP.

UM, A TP STAFF ALSO GAVE AN EXTENSIVE UPDATE ON AUSTIN LIGHT RAIL IMPLEMENTATION AND SOME SOLICITATIONS THAT THEY HAVE UPCOMING.

THERE WAS A, A ROBUST DISCUSSION ABOUT THE UPCOMING PROCUREMENT PROCESSES FOR VEHICLES.

CAT METRO HAS A VESTED INTEREST IN THE PROCUREMENT OF THE VEHICLES, AND WE'LL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH, UH, OUR PARTNERS AT A TP IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROCUREMENT.

UH, THE NEXT MEETING OF A TP WILL BE IN JULY.

THEY'VE NOT SET A DATE YET, BUT WE EXPECT THAT IT WILL BE LATE JULY.

MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW THE REMAINING CONSENT ITEMS, UM, IS THERE ANYBODY THAT HAS A QUESTION OR WOULD LIKE TO REMOVE AN ITEM FROM CONSENT? IF NOT, I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION BOARD MEMBER CADRE AND BY BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

UM, BOARD

[VI. Consent Items]

ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? I PASSES UNANIMOUSLY AND THAT SHOW ME SAYING, AYE.

YES.

I THINK I BE VERBALLY STATING THAT.

WE GOT IT.

MOVE ON TO TODAY'S ACTION ITEMS. WERE POSTED FOR THREE ITEMS TODAY, STARTING WITH AN AMENDMENT TO THE LEASE ON 8 1 7 WEST HOWARD LANE.

UM, NOW WE'LL

[VII. 1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a commercial lease amendment with Omega Media Properties, LP, a Texas limited partnership for the addition of parking area and remodeling of office building spaces at 817 W. Howard Lane, Austin, Travis County, TX 78728 concurrent with the original lease base period of three (3) years, with three (3), 1-year renewal options, for an increase of $4,007,249, resulting in a new total not to exceed amount of $8,367,406.]

MR. CARTWRIGHT IS GONNA BE HERE TO PRESENT IT.

GOOD AFTERNOON, ACTING CHAIR ROSS BOARD MEMBERS, UH, DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER.

I'M KEN CARITE, VICE PRESIDENT OF CONSTRUCTION FACILITIES.

AND AS YOU MENTIONED, I WILL, UH, READ THIS RESOLUTION FULLY AND THEN PROVIDE YOU WITH A DESCRIPTION.

SO THIS IS REQUESTING APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT, CEO OR DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A COMMERCIAL LEASE AMENDMENT WITH OMEGA MEDIA PROPERTIES.

LP, A TEXAS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP FOR THE ADDITION OF PARKING AREA AND REMODELING OF OFFICE BUILDING SPACES AT EIGHT 17 WEST HOWARD LANE, AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, TEXAS 7 8 7 2 8 CONCURRENT WITH THE ORIGINAL LEASE BASE PERIOD OF THREE YEARS WITH THREE ONE YEAR RENEWAL OPTIONS FOR AN INCREASE OF $4,007,249, RESULTING IN A NEW TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED AMOUNT OF $8,367,406.

AND WE HAVE, UH, JUST ONE SLIDE TO SHARE WITH YOU, UH, TODAY, BUT I WILL GIVE YOU A DESCRIPTION OF THIS.

THIS, UH,

[00:20:01]

FACILITY SERVES AS ONE OF THREE OPERATING FACILITIES FOR OUR DEMAND RESPONSE.

UM, OPERATIONS.

WE HAVE TWO LEASED FACILITIES, UH, THIS BEING ONE OF THOSE TWO LEASES.

AND THEN WE HAVE A THIRD OWNED FACILITY AT 5 0 9 THOMPSON LANE.

AND AS WE'VE DISCUSSED WITH THE BOARD IN THE PAST, WE ARE, UH, TRYING TO, UH, REDUCE OUR RELIANCE ON LEASED FACILITIES.

AND IN THIS, UH, CASE, WE'RE PROPOSING TO ELIMINATE ONE LEASED FACILITY AND CONSOLIDATE OUR OPERATIONS AT THIS EIGHT 17 WEST HOWARD LANE, UM, LOCATION, AS WELL AS RETAINING OUR 5 0 9 THOMPSON LANE FACILITY.

AND I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A, A BACKGROUND ON THIS PARTICULAR SITE.

SO IF YOU LOOK IN THE TOP RIGHT CORNER, YOU SEE THE, UH, OUTLINE IN RED OF THIS EIGHT 17 WEST HOWARD LANE FACILITY LOCATED ON HOWARD LANE JUST EAST OF INTERSTATE 35.

AND THEN THE AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH ON THE LEFT.

UM, WE CURRENTLY LEASE WHAT IS LABELED AS THE OPS OR OPERATIONS BUILDING AND THE ANNEX BUILDING.

AND THEN WE LEASE, UH, WE CURRENTLY LEASE ALSO, UH, PARKING LOT NUMBER THREE.

SO AS PART OF THIS LEASE AMENDMENT AND RELOCATING ALL OF OUR VEHICLES AND OUR PERSONNEL FROM OUR SECOND LEASED FACILITY, WHICH IS ON EAST SEVENTH STREET, WE WOULD BRING THOSE HERE AND ADD, UH, PARKING LOTS, ONE AND TWO TO OUR LEASE AND THEN UPDATE, UH, OR REMODEL THE, THE BUILDINGS AND MAKE PARKING LOT IMPROVEMENTS IN ORDER TO CONSOLIDATE THOSE OPERATIONS.

SO THE BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS, THOSE REMODELING EFFORTS, THAT WOULD BE APPROXIMATELY 1.6 MILLION AS OUTLINED HERE IN THE SLIDE, THE PARKING, UH, IMPROVEMENTS ARE JUST UNDER $590,000.

THE TOTAL OF THOSE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS, INCLUDING A FIVE 15% CONTINGENCY, WOULD BE JUST UNDER $2.2 MILLION.

AND THEN ADDING TO THE LEASE, UH, FOR THE BASE PERIOD, THE BASE PERIOD OF THIS LEASE IS THROUGH 2027.

UH, WE WOULD, UH, LEASE THOSE TWO PARKING AREAS FOR A TOTAL OF THAT PERIOD FOR 781,500.

AS YOU'RE AWARE, WE'RE CURRENTLY DESIGNING OUR NEW NORTH BASE OPERATION FACILITY FOR DEMAND RESPONSE.

UH, WE ARE COMPLETING THE DESIGN OF THAT.

SO THE IDEA IS THAT WE WILL RETAIN THIS LEASED LOCATION UNTIL, UM, THAT NEW FACILITY IS COMPLETED AT THE END OF 27 OR EARLY 28.

UM, SO WE HOPE TO BE OUT OF HERE DURING THE BASE PERIOD.

IF NOT, WE CONCURRENT WITH THE EXISTING LEASE AT EIGHT 17 HOWARD LANE, WE WOULD EXTEND THOSE OPTIONS.

AND THE TOTAL OF THAT THREE YEAR EX ONE, ONE INDIVIDUAL, UH, YEAR, UH, OPTIONS TIMES THREE YEARS WOULD BE THAT MILLION 32,000.

SO BETWEEN THE PARKING LOT, UH, EXCUSE ME, THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS AND THE LEASE, UH, UM, UH, IN, UH, THE ADDITIONAL LEASE AREAS, THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL INCREASE OF THIS LE FOR THIS LEASE OF THAT 4 MILLION, UH, $7,249.

AND IN DOING SO, TERMINATING THE LEASE OF THAT E SEVEN STREET FACILITY, WE WOULD BE SAVING $2.4 MILLION DURING THE BASE PERIOD AND ANOTHER TWO AND A HALF MILLION DOLLARS IF WE EXTENDED INTO THE OPTION PERIOD.

SO I KNOW THAT WAS A LOT TO DIGEST, BUT I'LL PAUSE HERE TO SEE IF I CAN ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE REGARDING THIS PROPOSED CONSOLIDATION.

ANY QUESTIONS? SO THIS IS ALSO AN ACTION ITEM.

DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING ELSE YOU NEEDED TO ADD? GREAT, THAT WAS IT.

QUICK QUES, QUICK QUESTION.

YES, SORRY.

I, I THINK FOR SOME REASON MY INTERNET CONNECTION JUST, JUST CUT OUT FOR A SECOND.

I JUST WANTED TOLAR CLARIFY MR. CARTWRIGHT.

SO, UM, DID I SEE THAT, THAT BASICALLY WE'RE SAVING A A MILLION DOLLARS, UH, MORE OR LESS BY MAKING THIS CONSOLIDATION? YES.

ROUGHLY A A MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE BASE AND EXTENDED PERIOD.

GOTCHA.

POSSIBLY MORE IF WE'RE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE, UH, THE, THE NEW NORTH OPS, UH, FACILITY, UH, ON, ON TIME.

BUT THIS LEAVES THE ROOM FOR CONTINGENCIES IN THE EVENT THAT WE, THAT SOMETHING COMES UP.

THIS IS AN ACTION ITEM.

SO MOVE SECOND.

BOARD MEMBER STRATTON AND BOARD MEMBER BENGAL HAS SECONDED ANY OTHER DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ON OUR AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION ADOPTING THE CAP METRO CIVIL RIGHTS POLICY STATEMENTS.

THANK YOU MR. CARTWRIGHT.

[VII. 2. Approval of a resolution adopting the CapMetro Civil Rights Policy Statement.]

MS. SIMMONS? THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

BOARD MEMBER ROSS, BOARD MEMBERS DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER.

MY NAME IS DONNA SIMMONS, EXCUSE ME.

I SERVE AS CAPTAIN METRO'S, EVP AND CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER.

UH, THE ITEM THAT'S BEFORE YOU FOR CONSIDERATION IS TO ADOPT THE, UM, BOARD OF DIRECTORS POLICY STATEMENT ON COMMITMENT TO CIVIL RIGHTS.

UM, THIS, UM, ENTIRE POLICY,

[00:25:01]

UM, IS INCLUDED IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, BUT I'LL GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A SUMMARY OF WHAT IT INCLUDES.

UM, IT IS AFFIRMING THE BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO A NUMBER OF CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, REGULATIONS AND LAWS THAT CAP METRO ONE MUST COMPLY WITH IN ORDER TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE FTA FUNDING, BUT ALSO, UM, TO DEMONSTRATE THE BOARD'S COMMITMENT TO THESE CIVIL RIGHTS, UM, TO THESE CIVIL RIGHTS LAWS.

SO THOSE INCLUDE, UM, TITLE SIX OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH HOW WE, UH, DELIVER OUR SERVICES AND DEVELOP OUR AFFAIRS PROGRAMS IN A NON-DISCRIMINATORY WAY.

UM, ALSO INCLUDES, UM, TITLE VII OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, WHICH HAS TO DO WITH ENSURING THAT WE, UM, DO NOT DISCRIMINATE IN ANY WAY IN OUR EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES.

UM, INCLUDES THE AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT AS IT RELATES TO HOW WE DELIVER SERVICES IN A WAY THAT IN NO WAY DISCRIMINATES AGAINST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.

UM, AND IT ALSO INCLUDES OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUATION OF OUR DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PROGRAM, WHICH YOU'LL HEAR A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT LATER, UM, IN THE AGENDA TODAY.

UM, TO ENSURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO SUPPORT SMALL AND MINORITY, SMALL AND DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES, UM, TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES.

UH, WITH THAT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

DO YOU BOARD ANY QUESTIONS? AND THIS IS ALSO AN ACTION ITEM BOARD MEMBER HARRIS, IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND BOARD MEMBER BELE.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR PLEASE SAY AYE.

MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ANY OPPOSED? RIGHT.

ITEM ON OUR ACTION AGENDA IS THE APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE THE PURCHASE OF 0.0239 OF ONE ACRE OF LAND FOR DRAINAGE EASEMENT FROM ORANGE STONE, TG, LLC, AND IN TOTAL NOT TO EXCEED $168,318.

AND OUR FINAL

[VII. 3. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute the purchase of .0239 of one acre (1,039 square feet) of land for a drainage easement from Orangestone TG, LLC in a total not to exceed amount of $168,318.]

MS. BARR? THANK YOU.

GOOD AFTERNOON, BOARD MEMBERS, DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER.

MY NAME IS JULIE BARR.

I'M THE PROGRAM MANAGER FOR THE BROADMOOR RAIL STATION IN MAY, THE CAPITAL METRO BOARD APPROVED AN AMENDMENT TO THE BRANDYWINE REALTY TRUST AND METRO TRANSIT AGREEMENT TO ALLOW FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE BRAD MOORE RAIL STATION.

TODAY I'M SEEKING APPROVAL TO PURCHASE RIGHTS TO LAND FOR DRAINAGE EASEMENT FROM ORANGETOWN TG LLC AND THE AMOUNT OF $168,318.

THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A SITE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON AND WILL SUPPORT THE CONVEYANCE OF WATER AWAY FROM THE RAILROAD TRACKS AND A SIGNAL HOUSE WHERE NEW DOUBLE TRACKING WILL BE INSTALLED.

CAPITAL METRO FOLLOWED THE ESTABLISHED STATUTORY PROCESS AND ACQUIRE TWO APPRAISALS FOR THE DRAINAGE EASEMENT LAND.

AFTER THE TWO APPRAISALS WERE RECEIVED, A THIRD APPRAISAL FIRM REVIEWED BOTH APPRAISALS.

I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.

ANY QUESTIONS? YEAH.

QUESTION.

UM, MAYBE MISUNDERSTOOD THE LAST TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BROADMOOR PROJECT, BUT, BUT I THOUGHT THAT A GOOD, THAT GOOD CHUNK OF THESE LITTLE BITTY PIECES OF LAND, UM, LANDOWNERS SURROUNDING, UH, BROADMOOR RECOGNIZED THE, THE VALUE OF THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT THERE AND HAD AGREED TO, TO, UM, DONATE THE LAND.

UM, IS THAT NOT THE CASE? YEAH, WE HAVE FIVE LANDOWNERS WE'RE WORKING WITH.

UM, THAT IS CORRECT FOR FOUR OF THEM.

AND, UM, UH, THIS PARTICULAR LANDOWNER HAS TWO EASEMENTS.

ONE OF THEM, HE HAS AGREED TO DONATE THE LAND, AND THE OTHER ONE, THE, THEY'RE JUST ONE DRAINAGE EASEMENT THAT WE NEED TO.

STILL SEEMS LIKE A PRETTY GOOD DEAL.

ALRIGHT, THANK YOU.

JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY MM-HMM .

NO, THAT'S GOOD.

THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.

SO, ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? AND THIS IS ALSO AN ACTION ITEM, MOVE TO APPROVE.

ALRIGHT, WELL WE HAD, WE HAD THE MOTION ALREADY BY BOARD MEMBER MEMBER CADRE AND SECOND BY BOARD MEMBER STRATTON.

UM, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AYE.

ANY OPPOSED? MOTION PASSES UNANIMOUSLY.

ITEMS FOR US, AND WE WILL START THAT WITH A FY 26 BUDGET CONVERSATION WITH MR. CONLIN, I'M SORRY, BOARD MEMBER ROSS.

THAT CONCLUDES OUR ACTION ITEMS TO TODAY.

NOW WE HAVE TWO DISCUSSION

[VIII.1. Initial Review and Discussion of the FY2026 Proposed Budget]

UM, BEFORE WE GET INTO THE, THE PRESENTATION ON BEHALF OF PRESIDENT WATKINS, I JUST WANTED TO REITERATE FOR Y'ALL AND FOR THE COMMUNITY, OUR COMMITMENT TO CONTINUING TO PROVIDE ESSENTIAL, RELIABLE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

LIKE MANY OF OUR PARTNERS IN CENTRAL TEXAS, WE ARE EXPERIENCING A FINANCIALLY CONSTRAINED ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FIRST

[00:30:01]

TIME IN MANY YEARS.

UM, BUT I THINK WHAT YOU WILL SEE AND WHAT KEVIN WILL BE PRESENTING TO YOU, THAT OUR FY 26 BUDGET WILL CONTINUE TO REFLECT A REAL STRATEGIC AND RESPONSIBLE APPROACH TO MEETING OUR CUSTOMER'S NEEDS.

WE INTEND TO, THROUGH THIS BUDGET, MAINTAIN OUR FOCUS ON OUR CORE SERVICES AND OPTIMIZING OUR OPERATIONS WHILE ALSO CONTINUING TO MAKE PROGRESS ON THE TWO FOUNDATIONAL PLANS THAT WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH YOU OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS ABOUT THAT STRATEGIC PLAN 2030 AND OUR TRANSIT PLAN 2035.

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO MAKE DISCIPLINE CHOICES TO ENSURE THAT WE MAINTAIN THE FISCAL AND FINANCIAL, UH, RESPONSIBILITY OF THIS AGENCY SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE, UH, GREAT SERVICE TO OUR COMMUNITY.

AND SO WITH THAT, KEVIN IS GOING TO KICK OFF THE MEAT OF OUR BUDGET SEASON.

HAVE FIVE PROJECTS THAT I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT, UM, FOR NEXT YEAR AND OUR FIVE YEAR CIP, WE HAVE OUR NEW NORTH BASE DEMAND RESPONSE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE FACILITY, OUR BROADMOOR RAIL STATION, OUR CAP METRO RAPID PARKING RIDES, ADDITIONAL BUS STOP ENHANCEMENTS AND IMPROVEMENTS.

GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR ROSS, BOARD MEMBERS DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER.

MY NAME IS KEVIN CONLIN.

I'M THE DEPUTY CFO FOR CAP METRO, AND I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE TO GIVE A BRIEF UPDATE TO THE BOARD ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR FISCAL YEAR 2026 BUDGET.

AND THIS IS GOING TO BE A HIGH LEVEL NO NUMBERS DISCUSSION ABOUT OUR BUDGET, BUT WE'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN JUST A MOMENT.

SO GOING THROUGH OUR BUDGET CALENDAR, WE KICKED OFF IN FEBRUARY OF THIS YEAR.

UM, IN APRIL WE RECEIVED IN ALL OF OUR REQUESTS FOR OPERATING EXPENSE AND CAPITAL ITEMS, WE'VE BEEN THROUGH NUMEROUS REVIEWS OF THE BUDGET FOR BOTH OPERATING AND CAPITAL.

LAST MONTH I WAS HERE AT THE COMMITTEES TO GIVE A BRIEF REVIEW OF THE BUDGET CALENDAR.

JULY, LIKE I SAID, IS GOING TO BE A VERY IMPORTANT MONTH.

WE'LL ACTUALLY COME BACK WITH A BUDGET PROPOSAL AND PRESENT, PRESENT THOSE TO BOTH COMMITTEES IN JULY FOR AUGUST.

WE'LL CONTINUE OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BUDGET.

WE'LL PRESENT THE BUDGET PROPOSAL THAT WE PRESENT IN JULY TO THE COMMITTEES, TO OUR ACCESS ADVISORY PSAC AND CSAC COMMITTEES.

AND THEN IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER WE'LL CONTINUE WITH COMMUNITY OUTREACH, UM, AND HOLD A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE BUDGET ON SEPTEMBER 10TH.

ASK THE BOARD AT THE FULL BOARD MEETING IN SEPTEMBER TO BOTH APPROVE AND ADOPT THE OPERATING BUDGET AND THE FIVE YEAR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

UM, MOVING ON OUR DISCUSSION OUTLINE FOR TODAY, IT'S, WE'RE GONNA COVER OUR KEY 2026 BUDGET ASSUMPTIONS FOR NEXT YEAR, OUR MAJOR OPERATING REVENUE AND COST DRIVERS, OUR SERVICE PRIORITIES AND FUNDING, AND DO A BRIEF UPDATE OR JUST A LOOK AT A FEW PROJECTS IN OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

AND JUST TO REMIND THE BOARD THAT WE DO USE A LONG RANGE FINANCIAL MODEL TO BALANCE OUR OPERATING CAPITAL REQUESTS AGAINST ESTIMATED AVAILABLE FUNDS OVER A FIVE YEAR PERIOD.

AND WE ALSO DO EXTEND THAT TO A 10 AND 20 YEAR LOOK AS WELL.

THIS IS A GRAPH OF SALES TRACKS FOR A SIX MONTH ROLLING AVERAGE SINCE 2007.

UM, AS DEPUTY CEO BUTCHER STATED, UM, WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPING FINAL NUMBERS.

SALES TAX IS OUR LARGEST SOURCE OF REVENUE BY FAR.

UM, THE THING THAT IS CONCERNING IS OUR SALES TAX YEAR TO DATE THROUGH MARCH OF THIS YEAR, WHICH IS HALFWAY THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR.

IT'S DOWN YEAR OVER YEAR BY 0.03%.

SO IT'S BASICALLY FLAT.

SO THAT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT'S WHY THE EXTRA WORK IS GOING ON IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

UM, THIS IS A GRAPH THAT ACTUALLY GRAPHS JOB GROWTH FOR THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA VERSUS SALES TAX.

YOU CAN SEE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY BASICALLY FOLLOW EACH OTHER.

THE GOOD NEWS ON THIS FRONT IS THAT THE AUSTIN ROUND ROCK MSA EMPLOYMENT HAS INCREASED FOR CONSECUTIVE YEARS COMING OUT OF COVID THROUGH MARCH OF 2025.

UH, MOVING ON TO THE AGENCY'S OPERATING REVENUE OR FAIR REVENUES BEING DEVELOPED WITH OUR FINAL UPDATES TO OUR RIDERSHIP PROJECTIONS FROM OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

WE'RE ESTIMATING APPRO APPROXIMATELY $48 MILLION IN OUR ANNUAL 53 0 7 SECTION FUNDS.

UM, MORE GOOD NEWS MAINLINE REVENUE ON OUR FREIGHT RAILROAD THROUGH OUR PARTNERS ON TARGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 25 OF 5.4 MILLION.

WE DO HAVE THAT BUDGETED FOR NEXT YEAR AS WELL.

FOR OPERATING EXPENSES, OUR SERVICE LEVELS WILL BE BASED ON OUR AUGUST SERVICE PLAN CHANGES.

WE DO HAVE A DIESEL FUEL HEDGING PROGRAM IN PLACE.

WE'RE ABOUT ALMOST 70% HEDGE FOR NEXT YEAR ALREADY.

GOOD NEWS IS WE'RE ESTIMATING $2 AND 30 CENTS PER GALLON INCLUSIVE TAX FOR OUR DIESEL.

UM, WITH OUR HEDGING ACTIVITIES, THE AGENCY DOES HAVE AN AVERAGE ANNUALIZED PAY INCREASE FOR EMPLOYEES, WHICH IS PERFORMANCE BASED.

UM, AND IT'S REPRESENTED AN AVERAGE COST ACROSS THE AGENCY.

AND OF COURSE, WE DO USE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN INITIATIVES WHEN WE CONSIDER OUR BUDGET PREPARATION FOR THE YEAR.

MOVING ON TO CAPITAL BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS, I

[00:35:01]

AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, OUR NEW CAP METRO ADMINISTRATION BUILDING NEXT DOOR AT 3,100 EAST FIFTH STREET, THE BUILD OUT ON THAT.

SO THAT'S GONNA CONCLUDE MY BRIEF PRESENTATION THIS AFTERNOON, BUT I'D BE HAPPY TO OPEN UP FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.

ANY THOUGHTS? OH, THANK YOU.

BUSINESS ENTERPRISE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE UPDATES.

AND THEN WE'LL DO OUR SECOND DISCUSSION ITEM ON DISADVANTAGED

[VIII.2. Disadvantaged Business Enterprise/Small Business Enterprise Updates and DBE Triennial Goal FY24 - FY26]

UH, GOOD DAY ACTING CHAIR ROSS DEPUTY, CEO CHAIR, UH, KERRY BUTCHER.

UH, LADIES AND GENTLEMAN OF THE BOARD.

MY NAME IS CARLOS BALDERAS.

I'M THE MANAGER FOR SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAMS AND COMPLIANCE HERE FOR CABINET METRO.

TODAY I'M GONNA BE PRESENTING THE DBSB PROGRAM UPDATES.

SO WITHIN THE, I HAVE, SO WITHIN THE PRESENTATION I'M GONNA BE GOING OVER SOME PROGRAM UPDATES, THE GOALS OF, UH, DBSB GOAL ATTAINMENT.

AND THEN LASTLY, THE DB, UH, TRI GOAL VERIFY 26 THROUGH 28, WHICH WERE REQUIRED TO PERFORM EVERY THREE FISCAL YEARS.

SO JUST TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A PRE BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR PROGRAMS. SO WE HAVE TWO DIFFERENT PROGRAMS THAT WE ADMINISTER IN CAP METRO.

ONE OF THEM IS THE DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OR DBE PROGRAM.

AND THE SECOND PROGRAM THAT WE ADMINISTER HERE IS THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OR SBE PROGRAM.

SO BOTH OF THEM PRETTY MUCH TAKE INTO THE SAME ALLOTMENT, BASICALLY IN TRADE NON-DISCRIMINATION AND THE AWARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF CAPITAL CONTRACTS.

THEY BOTH WORK TO CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD FOR BOTH DBES AND SBE THROUGH OUR COMPETITIVE PRO, THROUGH A COMPETITIVE PRO PROCESS.

AND THEN THEY BOTH ASSIST THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIRMS THAT CAN HOPEFULLY COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY WITHIN THIS MARKETPLACE.

UM, THE DIFFERENCE OF THE TWO PROGRAMS, THE DBE IS THE FEDERAL PROGRAM.

SO WE RELY ON THE CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS TO HELP ADMINISTER THE PROGRAM TO GIVE US GUIDANCE ON WHAT WE NEED TO, ON HOW WE SHOULD BE ADMINISTERING THE PROGRAM.

UH, WITHIN THE STATE OF TEXAS, THERE ARE, UM, ALREADY CERTIFYING MEMBERS THAT HAVE BEEN ESTABLISHED FOR THE STATE AS WITH REGARDS TO WHO CERTIFIES DBES, AND THOSE ARE LISTED IN THE PRESENTATION, WHICH INCLUDE THE CITY OF BOSTON, CITY OF HOUSTON, CORPUS CHRISTI REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY, NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL, REGIONAL CERTIFICATION AGENCY, SOUTH CENTRAL REGIONAL CERTIFICATION AGENCY AS THE BIG ONE, WHICH IS TECH STOP.

UM, ALL OF THIS MAKES UP THE, THE TUCP MEMBERSHIP WITH THE TEXAS UNIFIED CERTIFICATION PROGRAM MEMBERSHIP BASE.

UM, AGAIN, TDO IS THE ONE THAT ACTUALLY LEADS THIS, UM, THIS MEMBERSHIP, UH, UNDER THE SB PROGRAM.

WE ADMINISTER EVERYTHING UNDER THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION CODE TITLE SIX SUBTITLE, UH, K, WHICH IS SECTIONS 4 51, UH, 0.2 51 THROUGH 2 53.

UM, THIS, THIS IS NOT A RACE-BASED PROGRAM.

THIS IS RA THIS IS A CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.

SO WE, WE, UH, LOOK TO, WE LOOK AT CERTIFICATIONS, UM, OF COMPANIES THAT ARE, UH, IDENTIFIED AS SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

THERE ARE, THERE ARE VARIOUS CERTIFICATIONS OUT THERE THAT ARE, THAT PEOPLE GO THROUGH.

AGAIN, ONE OF THEM IS THE DBE PROGRAM, WHICH I JUST MENTIONED.

UH, WE ALSO HAVE THE SMALL BUSINESS ENTERPRISE, WHICH TEXT OUT IS ALSO DOES, UM, CERTIFY SMALL BUSINESSES AND NOT JUST, UH, IT'S NOT LIMITED TO ANY SPECIFIC ETHNICITY.

IT'S EVERY, EVERYTHING'S OPEN.

UM, HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS PROGRAM, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED, ADMINISTERED THROUGH THE TEXAS COMPTROLLER'S OFFICE.

UH, AND THEN WE ALSO GO OFF THE M-B-E-W-M-B-E, WHICH IS ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON.

AND OF COURSE THERE ARE OTHER TRANSIT.

UM, THERE ARE OTHER DEPARTMENTS LIKE THE HOUSTON METRO THAT OPERATE THAT AS WELL.

AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS THAT, THAT UNDER THE TCP THAT ALSO, UM, CERTIFY FOR MBE AND WMB AS WELL.

UM, BUT THEY ARE WORKING BETTER, ALL OF THEM.

THEY ARE WORKING TO GET EVERYTHING LUMPED UP UNDER ONE CERTIFICATION.

SO IF THEY GO TO A SPECIFIC AGENCY LIKE THE CITY OF AUSTIN, THEY CAN GET CERTIFIED FOR HUB S-B-E-W-N-B-E AND THEN DBE AS WELL.

SO THEY'RE GETTING BETTER AT THAT.

UM, LOOKING AT OUR FISCAL YEAR GOAL RIGHT NOW, ATTAINMENT RIGHT NOW FOR FY 25 FOR THIS AMOUNT PERIOD WE'RE AT 1.8.

THE BIGGEST, UH, ISSUE WITH THAT SPECIFIC GOAL IS THE DEMAND RESPONSE PICKUP AND METRO ACCESS SERVICES, WHICH WAS OVER 200, $200 MILLION, UM, ACTUALLY 250.

SO THAT REALLY, UM, ATE, ATE INTO THE ACTUAL PERCENTAGE THAT WAS AVAILABLE BASED ON THE DBE TOTAL COMMITMENT THAT WAS GIVEN TO DBES.

SO THAT'S THE, THE, THE MAIN REASON.

AND ALSO IMPACTING OUR SB AS WELL BECAUSE, UH, IT WAS BOTH FEDERALLY FUNDED USE.

SO THAT BIG DOLLAR VALUE REALLY IMPACTED A LOT OF OUR GOAL ATTAINMENT FOR

[00:40:01]

THE FISCAL YEAR.

UM, BUT DOES NOT MEAN THAT WE AREN'T MAKING STRIDES TO CONTINUE TO SHOW OUR GOOD FAITH EFFORT TOWARDS TRYING TO MEET THAT GOAL AND STUFF THAT WE CAN PRESENT TO FT OF ALL OF OUR GOOD FAITH EFFORTS TOWARDS MEETING, TRYING TO, UH, MEET THE GOAL, UM, FOR OUR PAYMENTS TO BE TO DBS AND SBS.

RIGHT NOW WE'RE AT, UH, 8.5 MILLION.

SO RIGHT NOW WE'RE HALF A LITTLE HALFWAY OVER FROM MARK, UH, FOR FI 24.

UM, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE'RE AT TO DATE WITH REGARDS TO TOTAL PAYMENTS TO SBS, SBE, AND DBES BETWEEN, UM, FOR F FI, FOR FI 25 SEMI PERIOD.

AH, IT'S A LOT, IT'S A LOT.

NEXT.

UM, THE PERSON THAT WE'RE INVITING, UH, TO PRESENT OUR TRIANNUAL GOAL IS GONNA BE COLETTE HOLT.

SHE'S WITH COLETTE HOLT AND ASSOCIATES.

UM, SHE IS OUR, UM, SHE'S OUR CONSULTANT THAT'S BEEN WORKING TO HELP US BUILD OUT THE TRIANNUAL GOAL FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEARS.

UM, SO I'LL BE TURNING IT OVER TO HER.

ED, IS SHE ON THE LINE? OKAY.

YES.

HELLO? OKAY.

HI.

CAN YOU HEAR ME, CARLOS? YES, MA'AM.

AND YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BE MY HUMAN CLICKER HERE.

ALL RIGHT.

WELL, AND THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.

UM, I PROMISE, UH, TO BE BRIEF.

UM, AND, UM, FOLLOWING UP ON CARLOS'S, UM, PRESENTATION ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE DBE PROGRAM AND YOUR SBE PROGRAM, UH, THIS IS A BRIEF PRESENTATION TO, UH, GO OVER THE SUBMISSION THAT CAP METRO WILL MAKE TO THE FEDERAL TRANSIT ADMINISTRATION TO ESTABLISH ITS TRIENNIAL GOAL FOR DBE ATTAINMENT ON ITS, UH, FEDERALLY ASSISTED CONTRACTS.

AND I DO WANNA STRESS THIS SUGGEST ON YOUR FEDERALLY ASSISTED, UM, CONTRACTS.

UM, AND YOU HAVE BEEN DOING THIS EVERY YEAR SINCE THE REGULATIONS CAME OUT IN 1999.

AND I, I'M ALWAYS HAPPY TO TALK TO CAP METRO BECAUSE, UM, YOU ALL WERE ACTUALLY ONE OF MY VERY FIRST CLIENTS IN, BACK IN THE LATE NINETIES.

SO A LOT GOOD TO SEE HOW MANY STRIDES THE PROGRAM HAS MADE UNDER CARLOS LEADERSHIP.

SO FIRST SLIDE, PLEASE.

THERE YOU GO, COLETTE.

I, I DON'T SEE IT.

IT SAYS, UH, UH, DB TRIANGLE OVERVIEW, OR DO YOU WANT ME TO GO TO THE NEXT? OKAY.

NO, I'M TRYING TO, I'M NOT SEEING THE SLIDES AT ALL ON MY SIDE.

LET ME, LET ME SEE WHAT I NEED TO DO.

MAYBE I NEED TO CHANGE MY VIEW.

UM, COLETTE, YOU'RE FINE.

LET, GIVE ME ONE SECOND.

I I THINK I CAN BRING IT UP FOR YOU.

YEAH, IT SAYS GALLERY, SO IT WAS UP BEFORE JUST A MINUTE AGO.

THERE YOU GO.

OKAY, WONDERFUL.

NOW I CAN SEE IT.

SO BRIEFLY, UM, THE OBJECTIVES OF THE BE TRIENNIAL GOAL REVIEW THAT, THAT WE, AGAIN, PERFORMED FOR CAP METRO, ARE TO MEET THE REGULATORY AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS OF THE DBE PROGRAM.

AS, AS CARLOS MENTIONED, COMPLIANCE IS A, A CONDITION OF RECEIPT OF, OF THE FUNDS.

AND SO CAPITAL METRO MUST IN FACT, HAVE A DBE PROGRAM THAT'S APPROVED BY FTA.

UH, THERE ARE, UM, VERY, UH, DETAILED REQUIREMENTS IN THE FEDERAL REGULATIONS THAT GOVERN THE DBE PROGRAM.

UH, FIRST YOU HAVE TO DETERMINE A STEP ONE BASE FIGURE OF DBE AVAILABILITY.

AND STEP ONE BASE FIGURE IS, IS TRULY A TERM OF ART UNDER THE REGS.

UH, YOU THEN HAVE TO, UH, OH, HE'S, I'M NOT RUNNING IT .

SORRY GUYS.

OH, I LOST MY SLIDE HERE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH I COULD DO IT.

NO, WE'RE ON THE, THERE WE GO.

THERE WE GO.

UM, SO YOUR SECOND STEP IS, UH, POTENTIAL ADJUSTMENT TO THAT STEP ONE BASE FIGURE TO REFLECT, UH, THE AVAILABILITY THAT YOU WOULD EXPECT OF DBES, UH, BUT FOR DISCRIMINATION.

AND THEN YOU HAVE TO ESTIMATE WHAT PROPORTION OF YOUR OVERALL GOAL YOU EXPECT TO ACHIEVE THE RACE NEUTRAL MEASURES AND RACE CONSCIOUS MEASURES.

THE REGULATIONS ALSO REQUIRE, UH, THAT, UH, THERE BE A PUBLIC CONSULTATION, UM, MEETING AND, UH, SOLICIT, UH, THAT THE AGENCY SOLICITS WRITTEN COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

AND THE GOAL IS DUE BY AUGUST 1ST.

SO THE GOOD NEWS IS YOU ARE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE.

THE INFORMATION THAT WE SOLICITED AT THE PUBLIC MEETING, YOU CAN SEE THERE, I DON'T NEED TO GO OVER THIS MUCH.

I THINK IT'S THE AVAILABILITY OF DBES AND NON-DBES, UM, THE EFFECT OF ANY ONGOING DISCRIMINATION IN YOUR CONTRACTING MARKET AND YOUR EFFORTS TO LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD FOR PARTICIPATION OF DBES.

SO, THE DBE PROGRAM'S, PRIMARY REQUIREMENTS, AS YOU SEE THERE ARE TO, UH, ENSURE NON-DISCRIMINATION AND CREATE A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.

[00:45:03]

AND I THINK CARLOS LEY, UH, DESCRIBED ALL THAT, UM, AS WELL AS YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES TO, UH, FOLLOW THE GOAL SETTING PROCESS AND DEVELOP AN OVERALL GOAL.

SO THE GOAL THAT'S PROPOSED FOR THIS, UH, THE NEXT THREE YEARS COMING UP, UM, IS, UH, 25.5% FOR FEDERAL FISCAL YEARS 2026, UH, THROUGH 2028.

UH, 10.5% OF THAT IS TO BE ACHIEVED THROUGH RACE NEUTRAL MEASURES, UH, BY WHICH, UH, WE MEAN, UM, MEASURES THAT CAN BE USED TO, UH, ASSIST ALL SMALL BUSINESSES, NOT JUST CERTIFIED DBES.

UM, AND THE PERCENTAGE YOU EXPECT TO USE THROUGH RACE CONSCIOUS CONTRACT GOALS.

UM, AND I DO WANNA NOTE THAT A RACE NEUTRAL IN THE REGULATIONS IS DEFINED TO ALSO INCLUDE GENDER.

THAT MIGHT BE THE LAST ONE.

NO.

ALL GOOD.

SO A PUBLISHED, UH, NOTICE AS REQUIRED, UM, WAS PLACED ON YOUR WEBSITE.

UM, THIS IS ALL, UH, HAD TO BE SUBMITTED TO THE BOARD BEFORE ALL THIS, UH, ACTUALLY HAPPENED.

SO THE TENSES ARE NOT RIGHT.

THIS IS ALL, ALL ALREADY HAPPENED.

UM, WE DID, DID NOT HAVE A PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD THAT EXTENDED, UH, TO JUNE 10TH.

UH, WE HAD THE PUBLIC MEETING AND WE HAD 90 PEOPLE PARTICIPATE, BUT WE DID NOT GET ANY WRITTEN COMMENTS.

SO, UM, THE, UH, GOAL AS IT HAS BEEN DESCRIBED, UM, IN THE, UH, DOCUMENT THAT WAS POSTED IS IN FACT WHAT WILL BE SENT, UM, TO FTA WITH THE MINOR EDITS TO SAY WHEN WE HAD THE MEETING, HOW MANY PEOPLE ATTENDED, AND THE FACT THAT WE DID NOT IN FACT RECEIVE ANY CHANGES, UH, ANY COMMENTS RATHER.

SO NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE, UH, GOAL SUBMISSION.

SO THAT'S ALL I HAVE.

IF ANYONE HAS QUESTIONS, I'M HAPPY TO TRY TO ANSWER THEM.

ANY QUESTIONS? I DON'T THINK WE HAVE ANY, BUT THANK YOU.

UM, THE OTHER THING I JUST FEEL COM, YOU KNOW, IN THE, IN THE INTEREST OF HONESTY AND, YOU KNOW, BEING A GOOD LAWYER THAT I FEEL LIKE I DO HAVE TO TELL YOU ALL, IS THAT THE DBE PROGRAM, UM, HAS BEEN CHALLENGED IN FEDERAL COURT.

YOU COLETTE? HELLO? HI THERE.

YES, HI, UH, HI, COLETTE.

I, I THANK YOU FOR STILL HAVE YOUR PHONE ON THE WORK THAT, UH, THAT, THAT, UH, YOU'VE HELPED OUR TEAM WITH.

AND, UH, AND THANK YOU TO OUR, TO OUR TEAM FOR, UH, THE WORK Y'ALL HAVE PUT IN ON THIS TOO.

I WAS JUST CURIOUS IN, IN LIGHT OF, UM, THE CHANGES IN WASHINGTON WITH THE ADMINISTRATION, UM, HAVE Y'ALL NOTICED, MAYBE THIS IS QUESTION SPECIFICALLY FOR YOU COLETTE AND, AND YOUR CONSULTANCY AND THE WORK THAT YOU'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS AND COMPARED TO NOW, HAVE YOU NOTICED ANY KIND OF, UM, CHANGING ENVIRONMENT THAT THAT IS HAPPENING? OR, OR, UM, UH, ANYTHING THAT, THAT THAT CAN POINT TO A DIRECTION THAT, THAT, UH, THAT, THAT WOULD INDICATE THAT THIS PROCESS IS UNDER REVIEW OR IS BEING CHANGED AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE LEVEL? I REALIZE THAT THERE'S THE THINGS THAT CONGRESS PUTS IN PLACE, BUT AS WE'VE SEEN, UM, THERE'S THINGS THAT MM-HMM .

THAT ARE BEING DONE AT THE, AT THE EXECUTIVE LEVEL MM-HMM .

AND, YOU KNOW, THE, UM, UH, FROM, YOU KNOW, COMING OUT OF A WHITE HOUSE AND OTHER PLACES THAT, THAT HAVE TENDED TO, YOU KNOW, COME INTO THIS, YOU KNOW, COME INTO AN, AN EFFECT, THESE KINDS OF, UM, UH, RELATIONSHIPS AND THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES AND SUCH LIKE THIS.

I WAS JUST WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AND FOUND HOW THIS MIGHT IMPACT TRANSIT FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE AND WHAT WE DO.

SURE.

WELL, UM, I'M ASSUMING EVERYONE'S AT LEAST SOMEWHAT AWARE OF THE NUMEROUS EXECUTIVE ORDERS, UH, FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.

UM, HOWEVER, IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THEM, UM, THEY MOSTLY TALK ABOUT ILLEGAL DEI, UH, THE DBE PROGRAM IS NOT A DB A DEI PROGRAM.

IT'S A REMEDIAL CIVIL RIGHTS PROGRAM DESIGNED TO ADDRESS THE CONTINUING EFFECT OF HISTORIC SYSTEMIC RACE AND SEX DISCRIMINATION.

AND IT'S A VERY DIFFERENT LENS THAN DEI, WHICH BY THE WAY, THE EXECUTIVE ORDERS DON'T BOTHER TO DEFINE FOR ANYONE, LET ALONE WHAT WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL.

SO IT, IT'S, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE APPLESAUCE IN A WAY.

UM, HOWEVER THAT SAID, UM, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS ISSUED, UM, LETTERS FROM THE SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION, UM, SAYING THAT RECIPIENTS HAVE TO SIGN VARIOUS ASSURANCES TO GET, UM, ANY MORE FUNDING.

SO WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.

UM, TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE, THERE ARE AT LEAST FOUR PENDING LAWSUITS AGAINST THE DEI EXECUTIVE ORDERS, UM, INCLUDING ONE, UM, WHERE A, UM, UH, PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION WAS ISSUED, I THINK IT WAS ACTUALLY A WEEK AGO, THIS PAST FRIDAY, UM, UH, FILED BY SOME AGENCIES OUT ON THE WEST COAST.

THAT CASE IS BEING APPEALED, SO WE'LL KEEP OUR EYES ON THAT.

[00:50:01]

UH, THERE WAS A DECISION, UH, TO ISSUE A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION LAST OCTOBER, UH, IN A CHALLENGE THAT WAS FILED IN KENTUCKY.

UM, THE, THE PROCEDURALLY THE CASE IS KIND OF A MESS, UM, BECAUSE, UH, THE JUDGE, UH, SAID THAT THE INJUNCTION ONLY GOES AS TO THESE TWO PLAINTIFFS.

AND OF COURSE THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF CONTRACTS FUNDED BY U-S-D-O-T ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

SO WHERE WE STAND TODAY, AT LEAST, OR AT LEAST AS OF FRIDAY, WAS UM, UH, THE INJUNCTION ONLY GOES, UH, TO CONTRACTS IN WHICH THESE TWO PLAINTIFFS WHO ARE BOTH SUBCONTRACTORS HAVE EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN, UM, ALL OTHER CONTRACTS.

THE DBE PROGRAM REMAINS INTACT AND THERE IS A PROPOSED CONSENT ORDER THAT'S BEEN FILED BY THE PLAINTIFFS AND THE NEW DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, UM, THAT WOULD, UM, ENJOIN SETTING RACE-BASED DBE CONTRACT GOALS ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

WE'LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS WITH THAT.

THERE ARE INTERVENERS IN THE CASE THAT IT JUST, YOU KNOW, IS A 40 YEAR LITIGATOR.

I JUST LOOK AT THIS AND GO, OH GOODNESS, HOW DO WE GET TO THIS MESS? BUT, UM, BUT THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

SO, YOU KNOW, STAY TUNED.

UM, UM, AND UH, CERTAINLY I THINK I CAN CONFIDENTLY PREDICT THAT WHATEVER THE OUTCOME IS, UM, IT WILL PROBABLY GET APPEALED, BUT AT THE MOMENT IT HASN'T APPLIED TO ANY TRANSIT CONTRACTS.

THE PLAINTIFFS HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN SOME HIGHWAY CONTRACTS AND THEN A, UM, A CONTRACT AT O'HARE ACTUALLY.

UM, BUT SO FAR THEY HAVEN'T SAID ANYTHING ABOUT TRANSIT.

ONE OF THEM IS A MILLING COMPANY, THE OTHER ONE IS A TRUCKING COMPANY AND SO UNLIKELY THEY WOULD BE DOING MUCH TRANSIT WORK, BUT YOU'RE CERTAINLY A RIGHT TO FLAG THAT.

AND UM, ALL I CAN SAY IS STAY TUNED.