[00:00:09]
UH, HAVING BEEN SUMMONED FROM THE BACK BECAUSE WE HAVE REACHED A QUORUM READY FROM A TECHNICAL STANDPOINT.
SO I CAN BLAME IT ON THE TECHNICAL PREPARATION.
UH, BUT, UH, BUT WE WERE SUMMONED FROM THE BACK.
[I. Call to Order]
LET'S SEE, UM, AT 1206, WE'RE CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR THE MARCH MEETING OF THE CAP METRO BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
TODAY IS MONDAY, MARCH 23RD, AND I WILL SAY, UH, 1206 AGAIN.
[II. Safety Briefing]
SEE.OUR FIRST AGENDA ITEM'S GONNA BE OUR MONTHLY SAFETY BRIEFING.
I UNDERSTAND THAT OUR CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER OFFICER'S GONNA WALK US THROUGH THIS.
I SERVE AS CAPITAL METRO'S EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, SYSTEM-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY AND CHIEF SAFETY OFFICER AS INDICATED BY OUR CHAIRMAN.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU YOUR, UH, BRIEFING AND SO YOU ARE LOCATED HERE IN THE ROSA PARKS, UH, BOARDROOM, WHICH IS 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
AND, UH, JUST IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, IN THE UNLIKELY EVENT, I'M LOOKING AT THE CHIEF, THE ASSISTANT CHIEF, SOMEONE TO CALL 9 1 1.
THERE THEY ARE, RIGHT THERE TO ASSIST, UH, OUR RALLYING POINT.
SHOULD WE NEED TO EVACUATE FROM THIS, UH, FACILITY.
GONNA ASK EVERYONE WHETHER YOU HAVE TO LEAVE FROM, UH, THIS EXIT OR THAT TO MAKE YOUR WAY ACROSS THE PARKING LOT.
HELLO? OVER TO 3,100, THE VERY, UH, NEXT PARKING LOT.
AND THERE WILL BE A SIGN THERE INDICATING OUR RALLYING POINT.
SHOULD YOU HAVE ANY MOBILITY CHALLENGES.
HEY, UH, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN HEAR FOLKS VIRTUALLY, BUT WE CAN'T HEAR YOU.
I HEARD SOMEBODY RIGHT NOW TESTING.
THEY, THEY WON'T NEED TO EVACUATE.
COMMISSIONER, IF YOU ARE HOME AND NEED TO EVACUATE AUDIO, YOU GOT AN EXTRA ONE? I HAVE TWO MICS.
CARLOS CHAVEZ IS ALSO ON THE LINE.
CAN YOU HEAR ME? CAN I HAVE MY MIC BACK? I'LL TAKE THE TESTING.
I'M JUST GOING TO CONTINUE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T IMPACT PEOPLE ONLINE.
UM, SO IF, UH, WE HAVE TO EVACUATE AND YOU HAVE MOBILITY, WE HAVE AND YOU HAVE MOBILITY, UM, CHALLENGES AND YOU HAVE TO EXIT FROM THAT DOOR, WE ASK THAT YOU WAIT AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS AND SOMEONE WILL ESCORT YOU DOWN IN THE EVENT WE NEED AN A ED.
THERE'S ONE LOCATED RIGHT BY THE ELEVATOR TO THE LEFT OF THE ELEVATOR IN THE MAIN LOBBY HERE.
LOOKS LIKE I HAVE TO DO IT MYSELF, BUT
OKAY, THAT CAN CONCLUDES MY SAFETY BRIEFING.
[III. Public Comment (Part 1 of 3)]
NEXT ITEM IS GOING TO BE PUBLIC COMMENT.EACH SPEAKER'S GONNA HAVE THREE MINUTES, UNLESS THEY'RE SPEAKING ON TWO AGENDA ITEMS OR REPRESENTING A GROUP WITH MORE THAN ONE PERSON IN THE ROOM, UH, IN WHICH CASE THEY'LL HAVE FIVE MINUTES.
UNDERSTAND THAT WE'VE GOT SEVERAL PEOPLE SIGNED UP IN ADVANCE TO SPEAK.
THE FIRST IS GOING TO BE MR. GAL, UH, GALINO FERNANDEZ.
MR. FERNANDEZ, I JUST SAW YOU.
SO IF YOU'LL COME UP TO THE PODIUM, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES FOR YOUR COMMENTS AND THE NEXT PERSON WILL BE SHERRY TAYLOR, WHO WILL, WHO, UH, SHOULD BE IN PERSON AS WELL.
ALRIGHT, GOT THREE MINUTES, PLEASE PROCEED.
UH, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
IS THAT MIKE ON, UH, HELLO? YEAH, THERE YOU GO.
THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU.
AND, UH, ONCE AGAIN, AS PART OF OUR, OUR OUR MEXICAN AMERICAN HISTORY, WELCOME TO RIO, FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT DON'T LIVE HERE.
AND, UH, THIS IS THE, UH, BUSTAN NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, UH, PART OF
WE'VE BEEN, UH, ASSOCIATED WITH C CIVIC ENGAGEMENTS FOR OVER 50 YEARS.
MY PURPOSE IN COMING TO YOU IS TO ADDRESS THE UNFORTUNATE SITUATION THAT WE FACE TODAY.
UH, BUT FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO LEND OUR PRAYERS IN SUPPORT
[00:05:01]
TO THE VICTIMS OF THE LATE SIR CHAVEZ AND HIS BEHAVIOR.WE WERE ASKING THAT YOU REMOVE THE NAME OF C CHAVEZ ON THE ROUTE BUS TWO ROUTE, AND TO REMOVE THE NAME ON TWO SHELTERS THAT ARE ON PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD.
I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE PROCESS AND WHAT AND, AND GOING ABOUT THAT ROUTE, BUT THIS IS AN ACTION THAT IS BEING TAKEN NOT ONLY LOCALLY BUT THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY, WHICH I PRESENTED TO, UH, GAVE YOU A COPY OF.
ARE THE ONES THAT INITIATED THE NAME CHANGE TO BEGIN WITH, UH, WITH WALKING ALL THE BUSINESSES, ALL THE HOMEOWNERS ON SUCH THE CHAVEZ STREET TO SIGN A PETITION TO AGREE TO THIS, UH, RENAMING.
BUT LIKE ALWAYS EVERYONE HAS SAID THE, UH, IT'S A FARM WORKERS MOVEMENT.
IT MORE ABOUT HUMAN, IT WAS NOT ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL OR ANYTHING.
SO AGAIN, I LIKE TO, UH, FORMALLY REQUEST THAT, THAT YOU TAKE THIS ACTION, UH, SO THAT, UH, WE CAN MOVE ON FORWARD.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE NAME OF THE STREET IS GONNA BE AGAIN, BUT, UH, INDICATIONS FROM THE CITY COUNCIL IS THAT THEY ARE GONNA RENAME THE STREET.
AND, UH, BASED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THAT I HAVE BEEN VIEWING, THERE ARE NUMEROUS.
I MEAN, WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH A WHOLE PROCESS OF JUST ENTERTAINING DIFFERENT NAMES, BUT ONE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE, UH, RESPONSES IS TO ME, UH, IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD IS GINO.
LET'S JUST GO BACK TO EAST FIRST.
LET'S JUST GO BACK TO EAST FIRST AND THAT WILL RESOLVE EVERYTHING.
WE WON'T HAVE THIS ISSUE OF NAMING IT AFTER SOMEONE AND THEN YEARS LATER WE FIND OUT DIFFERENT INFORMATION.
SO AGAIN, UH, LIKE I SAID, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH YOUR PROCESS IN DOING THAT HERE, BUT I DO KNOW THAT THE EASTBOUND BUS THAT HAS CSA CHAVEZ ON IT HAS TWO NAMES.
THE OTHER ONE IS THE EAST SIDE BUS PLAZA.
SO WE WOULD, YOU KNOW, IF YOU WOULD REMOVE C CHAVEZ, THEN THAT ONE WOULD REMAIN AND IT WOULD STAY INTACT WITH, UH, THE DELIVERY SERVICE THAT Y'ALL PROVIDE.
AND, UH, SO I WANT TO THANK YOU AND CONTINUE, UH, YOUR SUPPORT IN MANY OF OUR ACTIVITIES IN COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THE RIO.
AND WITH THAT, I'LL LEAVE YOU AND I HOPE TO HEAR SOME RESPONSE FROM Y'ALL REGARDING OUR REQUEST.
THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND SHARE.
THE NEXT PERSON LISTED IS SHERRY TAYLOR.
MS. TAYLOR HERE HAVE NOT SEEN HER.
UM, THIRD PERSON IS NOIA JOSEPH, WHO WILL BE TALKING ABOUT TWO AGENDA ITEMS AND HAS ASKED FOR FIVE MINUTES.
UH, MS. MS. JOSEPH INDICATED THAT SHE THOUGHT SHE WOULD BE HERE IN PERSON.
WE'LL CONTINUE WITH THE LIST THEN.
UH, CARLOS CHAVEZ, MR. CHAVEZ, ARE YOU WITH US? OKAY.
UM, UH, WHAT ABOUT, UH, RAINIER NCES? UH, BOTH, BOTH MR. WEES AND MS. WASHINGTON ALSO INDICATED THEY WISH TO JOIN ONLINE AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THEM JOIN.
I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID RON YE OR SOMETHING.
UM, AND THEN NEXT WOULD BE, UH, CYNTHIA WASHINGTON REMOTE.
YES, MS. WASHINGTON HAS NOT JOINED.
UH, LET'S SEE, UH, THEN, UM, THE NEXT IN LINE WOULD BE DEB MILLER.
I WAS ABOUT TO SAY THIS WAS GONNA BE THE, THE FASTEST ONE WE'VE EVER HAD.
UM, MY NEW IDENTITY IS A STANDUP ROLLUP COMIC.
I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL AND ANNOUNCE THAT AFTER 111 TIMES TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF SIGNUP AND Y'ALL TAKING ME DOWN ON SIXTH STREET DURING ALL THIS CHAOS, I GOT CALLED FOR THE KILL TONY SHOW.
Y'ALL PROBABLY DON'T WANNA WATCH IT 'CAUSE IT'S UGLY AND NASTY AND THE CUSS, BUT I GOT TO TALK ABOUT OUR RIGHT TO GO OUTSIDE AND THE THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ME HERE IN AUSTIN.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS LISTENING TO ME AND SUPPORTING ME IN HELPING, I'VE MADE COMPLAINTS TO YOU ALL BEFORE, BUT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE THAT I NEVER COME TO YOU UNLESS I SEE IT CAN BE REPEATED AND COST US MONEY THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO SUPPORT
[00:10:01]
OUR DRIVERS AND EQUIPMENT AND SERVICE.AND I JUST WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I, I HAVE A LOT MORE RESEARCH AND NEXT MONTH IF, IF I COULD HAVE SOME TIME, I'D LIKE TO MAKE A PRESENTATION AND I'LL BE SUBMITTING ANOTHER UNSOLICITED PROPOSAL AGAIN LIKE I DID A FEW YEARS AGO.
SO THE NEXT THING I WANNA SAY IS THANK YOU ON BEHALF OF ALL THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE MISSING TODAY, WHO BEGGED FOR FREE RIDES AND NEVER CAME BACK TO.
THANK YOU FOR ADDING THE A DA SERVICE.
WHAT YOU HAVE DONE, AND YOU DON'T SEE THIS, BUT I DO 'CAUSE I'M ON SIXTH STREET EVERY WEEK FOR KONI, RIGHT? I HAVE GIVEN OUT CAPTAIN METRO APPLICATIONS FOR THE METRO ACCESS SERVICE.
I HAVE GIVEN OUT FLYERS FOR THE QUANTUM, WHICH IS THE ONE THAT'S ONLY SAFE TO GO OUTSIDE AFTER TWO YEARS.
NOW, IF YOU GO TO THE ARCH, THE DEALERSHIP HAS TOLD ME THEY ARE BRINGING CHAIRS TO THE ARCH, THAT MEANS THAT PERSON IS SIGNED UP FOR A GOVERNMENT CHECK, IS ON A WAIT LIST.
YOU'RE ALREADY IS ABOUT TO GET HOUSING, HAS INSURANCE, HEALTHCARE A CHANCE TO GO TO WORK, SIGN UP WITH TWC.
ALL OF THIS IS BECAUSE Y'ALL DID THIS FOR US IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I KNOW THAT IT'S MADE IT REALLY HARD FOR EVERYONE.
I MEAN, IT'S, IT'S PROBABLY DOUBLE OR TRIPLE OUR RIDERSHIP AND WE'LL CONTINUE.
BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY WE CAN HELP PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY.
AND EVERY ONE OF US IS AT RISK OF BEING DISABLED, SICK, AND LOSING EVERYTHING AT ANY TIME.
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN SAVE ENOUGH MONEY AS COVID TAUGHT US.
RIGHT? UM, THE NEXT THING IS, UM, I NEED TO GET THESE TWO THINGS IN LEANDER.
THEY WANT YOU TO ADD PICKUP ON SUNDAY.
PLEASE HELP THEM BE ABLE TO HAVE A FULL LIFE.
UH, THE PICKUP ALSO, THE BRAUN THING HAS A HANDLE THOSE SHARP EDGES.
IT'S LIKE CARBON FIBER OR SOMETHING.
WE NEED TO GIVE THE DRIVERS EITHER GLOVES OR WE NEED TO MAKE THAT HAVE SOME FOAM OR SOMETHING ON IT BECAUSE THEY'RE GONNA CUT THEIR HANDS AND WE'RE GONNA HAVE INJURIES AND ALL KINDS OF ILLNESSES.
I HAD TO FROM MY INFECTIONS IN THE PAST.
UM, PLEASE, AS WE GO ON BUILDING, KEEP ADDING A PLUGIN FOR WHEELCHAIRS AT THESE TRANSIT CENTERS.
YOU'LL SAVE THE CITY BILLIONS IN FIRE TRUCKS.
THE NEW PICKUP BUSES, Y'ALL DON'T KNOW IT, BUT SOME OF THESE WHEELCHAIRS MADE BY PRIDE MOBILITY AND BRAWN, LIKE OUR RAMPS AND LIFTS, WHEN YOU DRIVE ON IT LOCKS THE CHAIR DOWN WITH A MAGNET WITH NO ONE TOUCHING AND IT'S ALREADY WORKING.
SO IF Y'ALL NEED TO KNOW WHICH ONES DO THAT AND ASSIGN THEM TO THAT PARTICULAR BUS, AND NO DRIVER HAS TO LOCK SOMEONE IN ANYMORE, WHICH IS, IT'S NOT GONNA BE ALL OF THEM.
IT'S ONLY GONNA BE THE ONES FROM PRIDE AND BRA, BUT THE ONES THAT THOSE VETERANS ARE GETTING ALSO WILL PROBABLY HAVE THIS IN THE FUTURE.
THAT BEING SAID, WE ALSO GOT TO TAKE THESE PEOPLE WITH THESE LAWN CHAIRS ARE GETTING ON WITH, BECAUSE, ESPECIALLY THE NEWER DRIVERS.
OKAY, I LIVED HERE FOR FIVE YEARS AND RODE METRO ACCESS BEFORE I EVER KNEW AUSTIN HAD HILLS.
OKAY? THAT'S HOW GOOD OUR OLDER DRIVERS WERE OF CIRCUMVENTING ALL THE BUMPS IN THE ROAD.
THE NEWER DRIVERS DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THIS.
EVEN IF THE DRIVERS GOING THE SPEED LIMIT.
AND I RARELY WOULD EVEN SEE ONE SPEED.
I'LL GUARANTEE THE RIDERS THINK THEY'RE GOING TOO FAST BECAUSE IT BUMPS AND IT SCARES THEM.
THIS IS THE SYSTEM AND THE ANALOG THAT'S ROUTING 'EM AND WE CAN GET RID OF A LOT OF COMPLAINTS IF WE START DOING THAT AGAIN.
THE RIDESHARE PROGRAM, WILL THAT INCLUDE WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE VEHICLES? IF SO, I'VE GOT SOME GREAT PLANS FOR Y'ALL BRING NEXT MONTH.
AND THEN ALSO, UM, I WANTED TO REMIND YOU THAT AS WE PLAN THE NEW SERVICE COMING UP, WE REALLY NEED TO, WELL FIRST OF ALL, WE NEED TO ADD THE BUS STOP WITH A SHE ROOF AT THE SHACK THAT WE TOOK AWAY FOR NO REASON.
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT, AND I'LL BE GLAD TO HELP YOU MAKE A LIST OF PEOPLE WHERE A LOT OF US LIVE.
PUT A BUS STOP AND GIVE US A CHOICE.
ALRIGHT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR THOUGHTFUL COMMENTS.
UH, LET'S SEE NOW, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS COME SINCE WE STARTED ED? UH, I GUESS I SHOULD ASK IN THE MEANTIME, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE THAT WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS THE BOARD? ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? ANYONE ELSE IN THE AUDIENCE? HEARING NONE, ED, UH, ANYBODY ADDED ON SINCE WE TALKED LAST? I HAVE NOT SEEN ANYONE JOIN YET.
WHAT WE WILL DO THEN IS, IS, UM, THANK EVERYONE WHO DID ADDRESS THE BOARD,
[IV. Advisory Committee Updates]
AND THEN WE'LL COME TO OUR BOARD ADVISORY COMMITTEE UPDATES.AND, UH, MR. BRADEN, I GUESS YOU'RE HERE TO BRING
[00:15:01]
THOSE TO US, THAT I AM MESSING WITH MY BUTTON HERE.GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TIAN, VICE CHAIR ELLIS PRESIDENT, AND CEO WATKINS AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
I AM THE STAFF LIAISON FOR OUR ADVISORY COMMITTEES.
SINCE LAST MONTH'S UPDATE, OUR ACCESS AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEES HAVE MET AT THEIR REGULARLY SCHEDULED TIMES.
BOTH COMMITTEES OPENED WITH REMARKS FROM PRESIDENT AND CEO DOTIE WATKINS, THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE, PROVIDING A BIG PICTURE VIEW FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS OF OUR AGENCY, AND PROVIDING THEM CONTEXT FOR ALL OF THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS, WHICH THEY HAVE HEARD ABOUT OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS.
UH, AND AFTERWARDS, WE HAD SOME Q AND A AS WELL FOR ANY OF THEIR BURNING QUESTIONS.
THE COMMITTEES, BOTH OF THEM ALSO RECEIVED A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE JUNE, 2026 PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGE, UH, FROM SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNER JORDAN MCGEE, AND RECEIVED A STAFF UPDATE FROM EMMA MARTINEZ, SENIOR TRANSPORTATION PLANNER ABOUT THE TRANSIT STOP AMENITY DASHBOARD.
THE ACCESS ADVISOR COMMITTEE ADDITIONALLY RECEIVED OUR UPDATES FROM MARTIN CARI, DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM-WIDE ACCESSIBILITY RELATED TO OUR EFFORTS AROUND ACCESSIBLE WAY FINDING, AS WELL AS ON THE QUARTER 4 20 25 SYSTEMWIDE ACCESSIBILITY REPORT.
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR THIS MONTH.
AND PLEASE LET KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
BOARD, DO BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR, UH, FOR YOUR REPORT.
[V. Board Committee Updates]
ONTO OUR REGULAR BOARD COMMITTEE UPDATES.UH, CHAIR VELA, CAN YOU START US OFF WITH OPERATIONS? UH, YES.
WE PASSED A HANDFUL OF THE CONSENT ITEMS THAT YOU SEE ON THE CALENDAR, UH, TODAY.
WE WERE SET TO GET AN UPDATE ON.
WE WERE SET TO GET AN, UH, AN UPDATE ON THE, UM, THE, UH, PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY INITIATIVES.
UM, BUT I BELIEVE THAT WAS POSTPONED FOR TODAY.
SO WE'LL GET THAT UPDATE, UH, TODAY.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, THANK YOU.
AND WE'LL GO TO THE FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE, UH, WITH, UH, CHAIR HARRIS.
UH, THE FINANCE AUDIT ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE MET ON MARCH 11TH AT 11.
UH, IN ADDITION TO, UH, ELECTING, UH, UH, DIANE BENGAL AS THE, UH, VICE CHAIR FOR THE COMMITTEE, WE ALSO PASSED, UH, UH, THE, UH, RES, UH, UH, EXCUSE ME, UH, THE, UH, RESOLUTION APPROVING VERIZON WIRELESS, WHICH IS ON THE AGENDA TODAY, AND ALSO APPROVING A REAFFIRMING CAP METRO'S INTERNAL AUDIT CHARTER, AND ALSO A, UH, UH, CHARTER STATEMENT FOR THE FINANCE AUDIT AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE ITSELF.
ALRIGHT, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, UH, WE WILL GO TO CAMPO.
THE, UH, CAMPO, UH, MET ON FEBRUARY 9TH, 2026.
IT WAS A FAIRLY FULSOME AGENDA.
UH, IN ADDITION, WE, WE, UH, SPENT SOME SIGNIFICANT TIME, UH, DISCUSSING, UH, SOME FUNDING SWAPS, UH, IN ORDER TO COVER A SHORTFALL ON, UH, SOME, UH, THE HIGHWAY 180 3, UH, FRONTAGE ROAD PROJECT.
UH, AND THEN ALSO, UH, HEARD A DISCUSSION ABOUT, UH, THE BREAKER LANE NORTH, UH, PROJECT AND THE DIFFERENCES IN SCOPE BETWEEN THE CITY AND THE COUNTY AND HOW TO, HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON THAT.
UH, FINALLY WE ALSO INTRODUCED TO THE FULL BOARD, UH, A, A CONCEPT CALLED THE INTEGRATED INFRASTRUCTURE CONSORTIUM CONCEPT.
AND BASICALLY THIS WAS A WAY TO TRY AND BRING TOGETHER ALL THE PEOPLE THAT ARE AFFECTED BY INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING AND NOT JUST ROADS, BUT IN UTILITIES, ET CETERA, AND TRY TO FIND A WAY TO COORDINATE THOSE SO THAT ALL WE WERE ONLY DIGGING IN THE DIRT ONCE AS OPPOSED TO MULTIPLE TIMES.
UH, FINALLY WE ALSO GOT AN UPDATE ON THE CAMPO QUARTERS PROGRAM AND, UH, JUST TO RE RE-IDENTIFY TO ALL THE, UH, BOARD MEMBERS, THE, UH, THE, THE DESIGNATED QUARTERS AND THE ONES THAT WILL BE A FOCUS IN TERMS OF EXPANDING, EXPANDING THOSE QUARTERS TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC MOBILITY IN THE AREA.
AND FINALLY, WE ALSO RECEIVED A UPDATE ON THE 28TH, 2031 CALL FOR PROJECTS, WHICH INCLUDED TWO FROM CAP METRO, UH, BUS STOP, UH, FURNITURE AND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM, AND ALSO THE HYBRID BUS FLEET, UH, UPDATE UPGRADE PROGRAM.
[00:20:01]
OKAY, THANK YOU.ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE, I'LL THANK YOU FOR THAT REPORT.
I WILL PROVIDE THE AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP UPDATE, WHICH WILL BE THE SHORTEST REPORT ON RECORD WE DIDN'T MEET IN MARCH.
AND OUR NEXT MEETING IS GONNA BE APRIL 15TH.
SO NEXT MEETING WE'LL HAVE AN UPDATE FOR YOU.
Y'ALL DID NOT BELIEVE ME THAT IT WAS GONNA BE A SHORT, UH, PRESENTATION.
UM, WE'RE GONNA MOVE INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND WE'RE POSTED FOR EIGHT.
I NOTICED MS. TAYLOR HAS ARRIVED.
[III. Public Comment (Part 2 of 3)]
OKAY, BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR CONSENT AGENDA, THEN WE SHOULD BRING MS. TAYLOR FORWARD SO SHE CAN, UM, PRESENT TO THE, UH, TO THE BOARD.NOW, I USUALLY SEE YOU WHEN YOU WALK IN.
YOU CAME IN PRETTY STEALTH TODAY.
YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO GET YOUR VISION CHECKED
WELL, I, I DO NEED TO GET IT CHECKED, BUT I, I TELL YOU WHAT, UH, I LOVE THE ATTITUDE AND THE FLOWER IS ON POINT, SO I JUST GOOD DAY.
GOD BLESS AMERICA, THAT, HOW ARE EVERYBODY DOING? WELL IN YOU? I JUST BROUGHT A LITTLE SPRING IN JUST IN CASE SOMEBODY HAD RECOGNIZE THAT WE HAVE CHANGED SEASONS.
I WASN'T AVAILABLE THE LAST THREE MONTHS.
I, MY, UM, MY COUSIN, UM, PASSED AWAY AFTER THANKSGIVING.
I DIDN'T TAKE IT TOO WELL, BUT, YOU KNOW, WE'D BEEN SINGING ABOUT 2000 YEARS ABOUT GOING HOME UP YONDER AND THEN SHE DID.
WELL, WHY WAS I SURPRISED? BUT ANYWAY, I WAS AT THE VA FROM THE 15TH OF DECEMBER TO THE 15TH OF, OF MARCH.
AND SHE'S SAVING A SEAT FOR ME IN THE BIG CAFETERIA IN THE SKY.
UH, I DO WANNA PRESENT THAT, UH, MARCH 26TH IS INTERNATIONAL PURPLE DAY.
AND SO IT TAKES ME A MINUTE TO GET DRESSED.
I WANTED TO GET DRESSED EARLY.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE ALL OF Y'ALL LOOK ON YOUR PHONE AND VERIFY IT'S TRUE.
UH, IT'S A WAY TO ACKNOWLEDGE, UH, PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES AND THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A DEGREE TO HAVE CHILDREN.
BUT ONCE THEY'RE HERE, IF THEY'RE ACTING UP OR WHATEVER, YOU WANNA, WHAT IN THE WORLD? AND, YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE TWO ARMS, TWO LEGS AND ALL THAT STUFF.
BUT, UM, SOMETIMES THERE ARE DISABILITIES THAT ARE HIDDEN AND, AND UNTIL YOU GET 'EM TESTED, YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.
SO IT'S NOT A PROBLEM, IT'S A PROMISE TO MAKE THEM AS, UH, FORMIDABLE MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AS EVERYBODY ELSE.
SO I JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT.
AND UH, ALSO I AM GETTING READY FOR CAPITAL 10,000, UH, BUT I'M GONNA GO TO, UH, ST.
SO I'M GONNA EMBARRASS ANYBODY IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN TRAINING AND YOU LET ME WIN BEFORE YOU GET TO THE FINISH LINE OR WHAT YOU, WHAT CAN I SAY? BUT, YOU KNOW, I HEARD THERE WAS A LEPRECHAUN THAT WON THE CAPITAL 10,000, YOU KNOW HOW SHE TOOK A SHORTCUT ANYWAY.
UM, AND YOU KNOW, THE LEPRECHAUNS ARE TRYING TO COME OUT WITH A NEW, UM, BUTTER TO USE UP THE REST OF THEIR LEFTOVER, UH, WHATEVER THEY HAD FOR ST.
PATRICK'S, BUT IT WAS A SECRET.
SO THEY ASKED ME NOT TO SPREAD IT AROUND.
UH, BUT I APPRECIATE Y'ALL BEING HERE AND REALLY LOOK UP NATIONAL INTERNATIONAL PURPLE DAY, PASS IT AROUND, SEND IT TO YOUR KIDS' SCHOOL.
WE NEED TO EMPHASIZE AWARENESS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE DISABILITIES SO THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORK SO HARD TO INTEGRATE WITH PERSONS WHO AREN'T YET DIAGNOSED WITH ONE.
AND THAT'S, I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR ALWAYS PRESENTING TO THE BOARD.
AND, UM, I HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT MY EYE APPOINTMENT IS IN 90 DAYS.
WELL, YOU KNOW, WE JUST, WE JUST WANNA APPRECIATE EVERYBODY THEY CAN SEE AND, AND THOSE WHO HAVE THE VISION TO SEE BEYOND THEIR EYES, BUT THEY COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE WHO ARE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES.
AND, AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST, UH, WE DO HAVE, UM, THE MISSION 5K IS COMING UP IN APRIL.
JAMES, CMBC, MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, AND HEB.
SO HEB WILL COME OUT THERE AND THEY'RE GONNA HAVE ALL SORTS OF BOOTS AND STUFF AND, UH, YOU JUST WANNA COME OUT AND CELEBRATE.
BUT THIS SATURDAY, SUNDAY WE HAVE A CHOIR ANNUAL AND YOU GOTTA COME OUT AND JUST CELEBRATE.
IT'S ALL FREE FOOD THIS SUNDAY.
JAMES COMMUNITY MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
ALRIGHT, HAVE WE HAD ANYONE ELSE JOIN? I WAS GONNA TELL YOU, I WAS
[00:25:01]
GONNA TELL YOU MY PIZZA JOKE, BUT IT WAS TOO CHEESY.ANYBODY ELSE JOIN REMOTELY? SURE.
I, I BELIEVE MR. CHAVEZ MAY BE WITH US.
WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON OUR AUDIO ISSUES AND I THINK WE'VE GOT 'EM SORTED OUT.
ALRIGHT, MR. CHAVEZ, YOU'LL HAVE THREE MINUTES.
I'M BASICALLY, UM, HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE, UM, 'CAUSE I USE, UH, CAPITAL METRO.
I DO USE THE FIXED ROUTES, UH, METRO ACCESS, AND I HAVE USED THE RAIL RISE BEFORE.
BUT, UM, THIS DAY PARTICULARLY, I WAS GONNA STICK TO METRO BECAUSE I DO USE IT MORE OFTEN.
UM, I I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SOME, A FEW COMMENTS ABOUT, UH, EXPERIENCES THAT I'VE HAD ON METRO AND SEE HOW WE COULD PROBABLY, IF THERE'S SOME WAY WE COULD ADJUST THE STUFF THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED.
UM, FIRST OF ALL, IT'S GONNA, I'VE BEEN WITH, UH, USING, UH, METRO ACCESS FOR SIX YEARS.
IT WILL BE IN JUNE, IT'LL BE SIX YEARS THIS SUMMER.
UM, AND I ALSO USED IT PRIOR, WHEN I WAS IN CRI COLE IN 2017, I WAS USING, UH, METRO ACCESS.
AND SO I WAS ABLE TO EXPERIENCE THE, WHAT THEY CALL THE, THE DRIVERS CALLED THE OLD SYSTEM COMPARED TO THE NEWER SYSTEM THAT Y'ALL HAVE NOW.
AND, UM, HONESTLY, UH, ME AS AN, AS EXPERIENCED WITH IT, UH, LIKE A, A RIDER, UM, I DON'T KNOW.
AND I, IT'S BEEN A LOT OF ISSUES GOING ON WITH TIME, UM, BEING AT CERTAIN PLACES ARE GETTING PICKED UP AT CERTAIN TIMES AND, UH, AND I DIDN'T CALL JUST, YOU KNOW, I DON'T, I I APPRECIATE METRO ACCESS.
UH, YOU KNOW, I, I'VE LEARNED TO APPRECIATE, I USED TO BE ABLE TO DRIVE.
I DON'T DRIVE ANYMORE 'CAUSE OF MY VISUAL IMPAIRMENT.
AND, UM, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN TIMES THAT I'VE HEARD MULTIPLE PEOPLE TELL ME AND I'VE EXPERIENCED IT MYSELF THAT WE'RE, WE, WE ARE LAKE IN PICKED UP AND THEN NOT ONLY THAT, THEY'LL PICK US UP AND THEN WE'LL BE HEADING ONE DIRECTION AND THEY'LL GO THE WHOLE COMPLETE OPPOSITE DIRECTION.
AND UM, I PERSONALLY, I I WORKED UP NORTH OFF OF 39TH STREET AND, UH, I, I INTERSTATE 35 AND UM, I LIVE SOUTH OF AUSTIN ON SLAUGHTER, EAST SLAUGHTER.
UM, THERE'S BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES THAT I'VE BEEN ON THE BUS OVER TWO HOURS, YOU KNOW, AND, AND I DO KEEP, YOU KNOW, IN, YOU KNOW, I DO KEEP IT IN MIND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHEN I GET OUT IT IS RUSH HOUR.
I, I COMPLETELY GET THAT AND STUFF AND IT'S JUST, UH, IT'S JUST BEEN NOT AS AL FUN PUNCTUAL AS, UH, A LOT OF US THOUGHT IT WAS GONNA BE.
UM, I'VE HAD, MY GIRLFRIEND IS ALSO A METRO EXS USER.
SHE'S A COMPLETELY BLIND AND, UM, JUST LITERALLY THE, A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO SHE WORKS AT CAMP MAYBERRY AND UM, SHE GETS OFF AT TWO.
SHE LITERALLY DIDN'T GET HERE TILL ALMOST SIX O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING.
AND AND THAT'S WHAT, BECAUSE THEY DROVE HER ALL THE WAY THE OFFICE, LIKE WE LIVE SOUTH, THEY TOOK HER ALL THE WAY TO LAKELINE AND THEN SOMEWHERE ELSE EAST.
I CAN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT YEAH, SHE WAS ON THERE FOR, FOR A GOOD, GOOD WHILE.
AND, UM, YOU KNOW, JUST, IT'S JUST, UM, CONCERNS THAT WE HAVE BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE DO, LIKE THAT DAY ACTUALLY SHE HAD, UM, SHE HAD CAN, SHE HAD TO CANCEL HER DIALYSIS.
AND, UM, SHE ACTUALLY MISSED THAT APPOINTMENT.
AND UH, YOU KNOW, IT'S JUST STUFF LIKE THAT, LIKE PEOPLE THAT HAVE MEDICAL ISSUES THAT HAVE TO, SO, EXCUSE ME.
UH, MR. CHAVIS, UH, EXCUSE ME.
UH, WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE, THE, UH, WE'VE GOTTEN TO THE THREE MINUTE POINT.
HOWEVER, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE TAKE YOUR NUMBER AND CONTACT INFORMATION SO THAT WE CAN GET IT TO THE RIGHT PERSONNEL AND HAVE THEM, UH, REACH OUT TO YOU DIRECTLY.
AND, UH, WE'LL, WE'LL MAKE SURE THAT WE GET THAT DONE.
UM, APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME, SIR.
UH, HAVE WE BEEN JOINED BY ANYONE ELSE? ED? WE HAVE NOT MR. CHAIR.
[VI. Consent Items]
UH, THEN IF WE HAVE NOT, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO OUR CONSENT AGENDA AND WE'RE POSTED FOR EIGHT ACTION ITEMS TODAY.UH, BOARD MEMBERS HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO, TO REVIEW THE CONSENT ITEMS AND I, I WANNA KNOW WHETHER THERE ARE ANY ITEMS THAT ANY BOARD MEMBER WANTS TO PULL OFF, ANY ITEMS TO PULL, ANY ITEMS TO PULL, ANY ITEMS TO PULL, UH, HEARING NONE, UH, THEN WE WILL, UH, THEN WE WILL, UH, ENTERTAIN A CHAIR, WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION
[00:30:01]
TO ACCEPT THE CONSENT AGENDA AND APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED.UH, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.
OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND PROPERLY SECONDED, UH, THAT WE APPROVE THE EIGHT ITEM CONSENT AGENDA AS PRESENTED IN YOUR AGENDAS.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, UH, ALL IN FAVOR LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
AND, AND I DID, UH, ZOE, I DID SEE YOU WITH YOUR, YOUR HAND RAISED, SO, UH, THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
AND WE'LL NOW TAKE UP, UH, TODAY'S REGULAR ACTION ITEMS AND WE'RE POSTED FOR ACTION ON TWO ITEMS TODAY.
[VII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to implement the June 2026 Service Changes, and accepting the results of the Title VI Analysis. (Part 1 of 2)]
OF WHICH IS OUR PROPOSED JUNE SERVICE CHANGES.UH, MS. JORDAN MCGEE IS HERE TO BRING THAT TO US.
GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIR TVI, MEMBERS OF THE CAP METRO BOARD AND PRESIDENT AND CEO DOTIE WATKINS.
I'M JORDAN MCGEE WITH THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND TODAY I'LL BE COVERING THE PROPOSED JUNE, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES, WHICH REPRESENT THE FIRST MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE THAT CAP METRO WOULD DELIVER AS PART OF OUR BOARD APPROVED TRANSIT PLAN 2035 AND REPRESENTS, UM, MORE COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT CONNECT SYSTEM PLAN, UH, COMING TO LIFE ON THE GROUND.
UH, THIS SERVICE CHANGE WAS DEVELOPED IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY OF AUSTIN, TRAVIS COUNTY, THE COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS, AND HAS TRULY BEEN AN ALL HANDS ON DECK EFFORT WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS, FRONTLINE, FRONTLINE STAFF, AND OUR PARTNERS TO BRING THIS CONCEPT, UH, TO FRUITION.
SO STARTING WITH A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR SERVICE CHANGES PROCESS, SERVICE CHANGE, SERVICE CHANGES PROVIDE CAP METRO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST ITS SERVICES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF CUSTOMERS AND EFFICIENTLY USE OUR RESOURCES.
THIS PROCESS IS GUIDED BY OUR BOARD APPROVED SERVICE STANDARDS AND GUIDELINES WHERE WE IDENTIFY WAYS TO IMPROVE SERVICE, DEVELOP A PROPOSAL, AND ENGAGE WITH THE PUBLIC AND OUR PARTNERS THROUGHOUT.
THESE SERVICE CHANGES OCCUR UP TO THREE TIMES A YEAR.
UH, TYPICALLY IN JANUARY, JUNE AND AUGUST, THEY COINCIDE WITH LOCAL SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY CALENDARS.
AND IN THE INTERIM MONTHS BETWEEN SERVICE CHANGE IMPLEMENTATIONS, CAT METRO CONTINUOUSLY SEEKS AND INVITES YEAR-ROUND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITY ON A DAILY BASIS.
WE MONITOR SERVICE TRENDS AND CUSTOMER CARE REPORTS AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR STAKEHOLDERS TO GUIDE FUTURE SERVICE CHANGE RECOMMENDATIONS.
IN THE PROPOSED JUNE, 2026, SERVICE CHANGES FOCUS ON ENHANCING CONNECTIVITY FOR THE COMMUNITY WITH INCREASED FREQUENCY AND NEW TRANSIT HUBS, WHICH IMPLEMENT MAJOR COMPONENTS OF BOTH TRANSIT PLAN 2035 AND PROJECT CONNECT, UH, BUILDING ON THE EARLY 2025 LAUNCH OF RAPID 808 37 WITH INITIAL SERVICE.
THIS CHANGE PROPOSES TO BRING BOTH OF THESE RAPID LINES TO THEIR FULL 10 MINUTE PEAK FREQUENCIES UPON COMPLETION OF THE GOODNIGHT RANCH AND EXPO, CENTER PARK AND RIDES AND SUCCESSFUL TESTING, UH, THIS SPRING.
EACH DAY A WIDE VARIETY OF STAFF AND DEPARTMENTS HAVE WORKED, UH, REALLY DILIGENTLY, UH, TO PROGRESS THESE LINES FOR CURRENT RIDERS USING IT AND ALL OTHER CUSTOMERS, UH, DISCOVERING THEM.
AND WE ARE SO EXCITED, UH, THAT FROM GOING OUT AND DOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT ON THIS CHANGE THAT, UH, CUSTOMERS HAVE EXPRESSED HOW LIFE-CHANGING, UH, THIS INCREASE IN FREQUENCY WILL BE FOR THEM.
ADDITIONALLY, SEVERAL UH, FIXED ROUTE BUS SERVICES ARE PROPOSED TO BE REALIGNED TO BEST UTILIZE AND SUPPORT THESE NEW FACILITIES IN THE FULL RAPID SERVICE.
SEVERAL OF THESE ADJUSTED BUS ROUTES ARE IN CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH TRAVIS COUNTY.
FURTHER, UH, STRENGTHENING OUR JOINT INVESTMENT AND EXPANDED MOBILITY OPTIONS THROUGH THE REGION AND THROUGH THE ROUTE EXTENSIONS INTO THE PARK AND RIDE THE CAT METRO ACCESS BOUNDARY WILL HAVE A SLIGHT EXTENSION.
ACCORDINGLY, THERE WILL BE NO AREAS THAT WILL HAVE REDUCED KENT METRO ACCESS, UM, BOUNDARY CHANGES.
AND TODAY I'LL WALK THROUGH THE PROPOSED CHANGES, THE TITLE SIX ANALYSIS AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS.
AND WITH THE OPENING OF THE GOODNIGHT RANCH PARK AND RIDE JUST TO THE WEST OF SLAUGHTER LANE IN VERTEX BOULEVARD, CAT METRO PROPOSES TO REALIGN NEARBY ROUTES TO ESTABLISH THE FACILITY AS A KEY TRANSIT HUB IN SOUTHEAST AUSTIN.
UH, THIS PARK AND RIDE WILL SERVE AS A NEW TERMINUS FOR RAPID 800 PLEASANT VALLEY LOCAL ROUTE THREE 18 WESTGATE SLAUGHTER AND FREQUENT ROUTE 3 33 WILLIAM CANNON.
AND AS A RESULT, ROUTES THREE 18 AND 3 33 WILL NO LONGER OPERATE ALONG PORTIONS OF BAXTON ROAD
[00:35:01]
ALUM ROCK DRIVE AND PANERO DRIVE HIGHLIGHTED ON THE SCREEN.DURING THE ENGAGEMENT, KEN METRO STAFF FOCUSED ON CONNECTING WITH CUS CUSTOMERS AND RESIDENTS IN THIS AREA.
UH, WE SPOKE WITH ABOUT A HUNDRED RESIDENTS, UM, ALONG THE, UH, THESE STREETS THROUGH NEIGHBORHOOD MEETINGS AND AT STOP OUTREACH, UH, MANY OF THE RESIDENTS EXPRESSED EXCITEMENT ABOUT THE UPCOMING, UH, PARK AND RIDE IN THE CONNECTIVITY AND AMENITIES THAT IT WILL PROVIDE.
METRO WILL BE ADDING A NEW STOP ON VERTEX BOULEVARD AT BAY HORN ALONG ROUTE THREE 18 SHOWN IN GREEN ON THE SLIDE.
AND FOR RESIDENTS CLOSER TO THE NORTH OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, STOPS WILL REMAIN ON SALT SALT SPRINGS DRIVE, BOTH WITHIN A CLOSE WALK TO EXISTING OPTIONS.
UH, WE'RE ADDING SIGNAGE AND MATERIALS, UH, FOR CUSTOMERS WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY TO SEE THEIR SPECIFIC, UM, STOP OPTION AND NOTABLY KEPT METRO DID NOT RECEIVE ANY COMMENTS FOR, UH, CURRENT CUSTOMERS ABOUT THREE 18 AND 3 33, UH, THAT THIS CHANGE WOULD PREVENT THEM FROM CONTINUING TO USE SERVICES.
UM, OVERALL, THE SERVICE CHANGE PACKAGE AIMS TO IMPROVE TRANSFERS CONNECTIVITY, UM, AND BETTER ALIGN, UH, SERVICES WITH COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.
AND IN NORTHEAST AUSTIN, THE UPCOMING EXPO CENTER, PARK AND RIDE WILL SERVE AS A MAJOR CONNECTION POINT NEAR LOYOLA AND DECKER, BRINGING SEVERAL ROUTES AND ON DEMAND PICKUP SERVICE TOGETHER.
UH, SPECIFICALLY THE EXPO, CENTER, PARK AND RIDE WILL SERVE AS A NEW TERMINUS FOR RAPID 8 37 EXPO CENTER, FREQUENT ROUTE 3 37 CANA COLONY PARK LOCAL ROUTE THREE 18 MLK AND LOCAL ROUTE 2 33 DECKER AND DAON, EACH OF WHICH WILL EXTEND INTO AND TERMINATE AT THE PARK AND RIDE OR PICK UP DECKER SERVICE WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST WITH FIRST MILE LAST MILE CONNECTIONS.
OH, AS PART OF THIS, WE'RE PROPOSING TO REALIGN NEARBY, UM, BUS SERVICES.
SO THE PARK AND RIDE FUNCTIONS BOTH AS A TRANSIT HUB AND A KEY LINK FOR RIDERS TRAVELING THROUGHOUT THE REGION WHILE MAINTAINING ROUTE COVERAGE IN SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS.
FOR INSTANCE, UH, CAP METRO HEARD FROM RESIDENTS NEAR COMMUNITY, UH, FIRST, WHICH IS BY HOGGE.
UM, AND DECKER SHOWN, UM, ON THE SLIDE THAT MORE DIRECT AND MORE FREQUENT SERVICE TO DOWNTOWN WAS NEEDED.
UH, CURRENTLY THIS COMMUNITY HAS ACCESS TO HOURLY SERVICE WITH A TRANSFER TO GET DOWNTOWN.
WE IDENTIFIED AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADJUST ROUTE 18, WHICH IS A CURRENT ROUTE, UH, THAT TRAVELS EAST WEST, UM, THROUGH DOWNTOWN AND TERMINATES THAT MLK IN SPRINGDALE, UH, WE'RE PROPOSING TO EXTEND THIS ROUTE FURTHER UP, JOHNNY MORRIS LOYOLA INTO COMMUNITY FIRST INTO THE PARK AND RIDE, WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY THAT CURRENTLY HAS HOURLY COVERAGE AND A TRANSFER TO NOW PROVIDE A DIRECT OPTION WITH 30 MINUTE SERVICE.
AND WITH THIS EXTENSION ROUTE 3 39, UH, TUSCANY WILL SHORTEN TO TERMINATE AT THE SPRINGDALE SHOPPING CENTER AND COMBINED WITH EXISTING ROUTE 3 23 TO FORM A, A REALLY STRONG EAST WEST CROSSTOWN, UH, ROUTE AND NORTH THROUGHOUT NORTH AUSTIN.
AND IMPORTANTLY, IT WOULD OPERATE EVERY 30 MINUTES, WHICH WOULD MARK A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT FOR CURRENT 3 39 CUSTOMERS WHO CURRENTLY HAVE HOURLY COVERAGE.
AND ROUTE 2 33 WOULD BE MODIFIED TO OPERATE ONLY EAST OF JOHNNY MORRIS ROAD, CREATING A NEIGHBORHOOD CLOCKWISE CIRCULATOR WITH INCREASED FREQUENCY.
WE'RE EXPLORING IF THIS RESOURCE NEUTRAL FREQUENCY IMPROVEMENT CAN HELP STRENGTHEN RIDERSHIP ALONG THE ROUTE, WHICH HAS DECLINED SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF PICKUP DECKER LAST YEAR.
UH, WE'LL CONTINUE TO CLOSELY MONITOR, UH, RIDERSHIP AND ADJUST SERVICE OVER TIME TO BETTER ALIGN OUR RESOURCES WITH DEMAND IF NEEDED.
AND LASTLY, ROUTE FIVE WOODROW EAST 12TH.
WE'LL HAVE A NEW TURNAROUND THROUGH TECHNO CENTER INSTEAD OF TRANSITIONING, ALSO KNOWN AS INTERLINING INTO A DIFFERENT ROUTE.
UM, OVERALL ALL THE CHANGES WALKED THROUGH, UM, WILL HAVE IMPROVED CONNECTIONS, TRANSFERS, AND MAINTAINED OR EVEN INCREASED SERVICE LEVELS.
AND WITH RAPID 8 37 ACHIEVING THE FULL 10 MINUTE PEAK FREQUENCIES, RAPID 20 MAINOR ROAD RIVERSIDE WILL BE SPLIT INTO TWO SEPARATE ROUTES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS.
THE SOUTHERN PORTION ALONG RIVERSIDE DRIVE TO THE AIRPORT WILL REMAIN A HIGH FREQUENCY ROUTE, AND THE NORTHERN PORTION SHOWN IN GREEN ALONG MAINOR ROAD TO COLONY PARK WILL BECOME ROUTE THREE 20 AND UNDERLYING LOCAL ROUTE, PROVIDING COVERAGE WITH MORE STOP SOIL.
RAPID 8 37 FOCUSES MORE ON SPEED WITH FEWER STATS, PROVIDING CUSTOMERS THAT CHOICE BETWEEN COVERAGE OR SPEED DEPENDING ON THEIR TRAVEL NEEDS.
UM, WHILE SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS, UH, SUPPORTED
[00:40:01]
THE PROPOSED SPLIT TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND SUPPORT, UH, OTHER SERVICES, SOME, UH, COMMUNITY MEMBERS RAISE CONCERNS ABOUT POTENTIAL TRANSFERS.ALTHOUGH TRANSFERS AMONG THESE SERVICES ARE EXPECTED TO BE LOW, WE ARE ENSURING THAT POTENTIAL TRANSFERS ARE SCHEDULED VERY CAREFULLY FOR A SMOOTH EXPERIENCE.
AND OVERALL, THE PROPOSED SPLIT OF ROUTE 20 WAS DESIGNED TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY AND SUPPORT RAPID 8 37 EXPO CENTER SERVICE.
UM, POTENTIAL TRANSFERS WERE THOUGHTFULLY CONSIDERED THROUGHOUT EACH STEP OF THE PROCESS.
AND LASTLY, WE PROPOSED THE TYPICAL SUMMER TRANSITION ON UT SHUTTLE ROUTES AND SCHOOL TRIPS SERVICES, AS WELL AS MINOR TIMING UPDATES TO BUS ROUTES.
UM, SOME COMMUNITY FEEDBACK THAT WE RECEIVED ON THE POTENTIAL SCHEDULE ADJUSTMENTS INCLUDED OFFERING EARLIER BUS SERVICE TO THE AIRPORT.
AND AS SUCH, WE'RE, UH, PROPOSING TO ADD EARLIER WEEKEND TRIPS ON THE NEW ROUTE 20 RIVERSIDE, UH, BASED ON A REVIEW OF RIDERSHIP PATTERNS, UH, FLIGHT TIMES AND AVAILABLE RESOURCES.
SO WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE THAT.
COMBINED WITH THE ROUTE 4 83 NIGHT OWL RIVERSIDE, UH, THESE ROUTES WOULD PROVIDE NEARLY 24 HOUR ACCESS TO THE AIRPORT.
AND THESE RECOMMENDATIONS CONSTITUTE A MAJOR SERVICE CHANGE AS IT INCREASES MORE THAN 25% OF THE MILES IN HOURS ON RAPID 808 37 AND PROPOSES REALIGNMENT AND FREQUENCY CHANGES TO ADJACENT ROUTES.
CAT METRO STAFF CONDUCTED A TITLE SIX SERVICE EQUITY ANALYSIS USING CENSUS DATA TO MAKE SURE THAT THE MINORITY AND LOW INCOME POPULATIONS ARE RECEIVING THEIR, UH, SHARED BENEFITS OF THIS LARGE INCREASE IN SERVICE.
AND THE ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THERE ARE NO DISPARATE IMPACTS OR NO DISPROPORTIONATE FINDINGS, MEANING THE CHANGE DOES NOT DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT MINORITY OR LOW INCOME POPULATIONS.
AND THE PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGE BUILDS ON THE EXTENSIVE OUTREACH AND FEEDBACK GATHERED DURING THE VOTER APPROVED PROJECTS CONNECT, UH, SYSTEM PLAN AND BOARD APPROVED TRANSIT PLAN 2035 DURING ENGAGEMENT FOR TRANSIT PLAN 2035 COMMUNITY MEMBERS REVIEWED AND COMMENTED ON THE DRAFT NETWORK, WHICH INCLUDED MANY OF THE PROPOSED SERVICE ADJUSTMENTS INCLUDED TODAY.
UH, BASED ON ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK, THE PROPOSALS WERE FURTHER REFINED IN THE CURRENT ENGAGEMENT EFFORT, UH, REALLY AIMED TO KEEP CUSTOMERS INFORMED AND GATHER INPUT TO GUIDE THE DECISION MAKING PROCESS ON THE SERVICE.
SPECIFIC ENGAGEMENT LAUNCHED EARLY FEBRUARY WITH MULTIPLE CHANNELS, INCLUDING IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS AT STOP OUTREACH A WEBPAGE WITH A COMMENT BOX AND OTHER METHODS LISTED ON THE SLIDE.
OVERALL COMMUNITY SENTIMENT HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE WITH MANY MEMBERS EXPRESSING, UH, EXCITEMENT ABOUT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SERVICE AS PARTICULARLY THE FREQUENCY AND CONNECTIVITY AND THROUGHOUT COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE REALLY EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF, UH, MAINTAINING AND PROVIDING FREQUENT, RELIABLE AND ACCESSIBLE SERVICE.
UM, AND IF APPROVED, THE FINALIZED CHANGES WOULD BE, UH, PROMOTED WITH THE COMMUNITY LATER THIS SPRING.
IN THIS JUNE, 2026, SERVICE CHANGE WOULD BE THE FIRST IMPLEMENTATION OF TRANSIT PLAN 2035, AND THE CHANGES BEGIN TO TRANSLATE THAT VISION INTO NEAR TERM IMPROVEMENTS ON THE GROUND.
THE CHANGES WOULD ENHANCE REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY AND INCREASE RIDERSHIP AS A OPENING OF THE GOODNIGHT RANCH AND EXPO CENTER, PARK AND RIDES AND THE PROPOSED CORRESPONDING ROUTE ADJUSTMENTS CREATE NEW TRANSIT HUBS AT THE PERIPHERY OF OUR SERVICE AREA, ENABLING A NEW MAJOR OPPORTUNITY FOR SERVICE AVAILABILITY.
AND THESE ARE THE FIRST OF SEVERAL REGIONAL ADJUSTMENTS YOU'LL SEE OVER THE COMING YEARS AS WE CONTINUE TO ROLL OUT TRANSIT PLAN 2035.
AND WITH THAT, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME TODAY AND I'D LOVE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.
BOARD MEMBERS, DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK IT'S, UH, GO AHEAD.
BOARD MEMBER VALA THE THREE 20, WHAT'S GONNA BE THE, THE FREQUENCY OF THE THREE 20? UH, THE THREE 20 WILL OPERATE EVERY 30 MINUTES AS A STANDARD LOCAL UNDERLYING ROUTE.
UM, WHO HAS A QUESTION? ONE, UH, NO.
UM, WE, UH, THIS IS NOT A, UH, FOR THE, UH, PUBLIC TO ASK QUESTIONS.
UM, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? BOARD MEMBERS? OKAY.
I'M GONNA, I'M GONNA PAUSE HERE BECAUSE I SEE MR. JOSEPH HAS MADE IT AND, UH, SO, UH, SO BETWEEN I'LL, I WILL LET HER MAKE HER COMMENTS THEN, UH, SINCE WE DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE'LL TAKE THE, OUR VOTE AND THEN WE'LL GO TO NUMBER TWO FOR YOU.
[III. Public Comment (Part 3 of 3)]
ALL RIGHT, MS. JOSEPH, WE HAVE FIVE MINUTES.[00:45:17]
UH, MS. EASTON IS PULLING UP THE SLIDES.MR. CHAIR MEMBERS, I'M ENOVIA JOSEPH, I JUST WANTED TO CALL TO YOUR ATTENTION THE PROPAGANDA THAT YOU ACTUALLY HAD ON KZI 88.7 FM.
SO I THOUGHT THAT I WOULD GIVE YOU A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE ADS, THE UNDERWRITING THAT YOU PUT ON THE STATION ACTUALLY VIOLATES, UH, THE COMMUNICATIONS ACT OF 1934.
AND SPECIFICALLY, YOU'LL SEE THAT SOME OF THE LANGUAGE THAT WAS STATED ON THE RADIO WAS PROJECT CONNECT.
THE PROOF IS IN THE PLAN, AND EQUITY IS IN THIS ONE.
MARIAN NICKERSON HAS BEEN WITH THE STATION FOR OVER 40 YEARS, SO WHEN HE SAYS THESE THINGS, IT APPEARS TO BE BELIEVABLE.
AND I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS IT RELATES TO YOUR CHARTERS, I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS AS IT RELATES TO THE AMENITIES.
YOU CAN SEE MARCH 11TH, 2020 ON THE SLIDE, AND THERE'S NO AUDIO.
IF THERE'S TECHNICAL DIFFICULTY, I WOULD ASK YOU TO PUT THAT IN THE ARCHIVE FILES AS WELL.
MY COMMENTS, AS THEY ALWAYS ARE, ARE IN THE CONTEXT OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964, WHICH PROHIBITS DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, COLOR, AND NATIONAL ORIGIN.
AS IT RELATES TO YOUR JUNE, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU HAVE NEGLECTED THE AREA THAT IS NORTHEAST OF US, 180 3.
YOU'VE SEEN THESE SLIDES BEFORE, AND WHILE I CERTAINLY CAN RESPECT THAT, YOU WANNA DO THE 8 37 EVERY 10 MINUTES, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE STILL NEED CONNECTIVITY FROM 3 92 TO THE ARBORETUM.
I WOULD ASK YOU TO RESTORE THE SERVICE.
I HAVE SAID IT'S TIME FOR HIM TO RETIRE BECAUSE IN 2013 YOU'LL SEE THE QUOTE WHERE HE ACTUALLY TOLD US THAT THE HE BS AND THE WALMARTS ARE EXACTLY WHERE YOU HAVE A HIGH RIDERSHIP AND FREQUENCY IS WHAT PEOPLE NEED, BUT HE ELIMINATED OUR NORTHEAST WEST CONNECTIVITY.
DO I NEED TO STOP? UM, OKAY, SO I DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S COMING FROM, BUT, UH, OKAY.
THAT, THAT WON'T BE COUNTED AGAINST YOU.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT YOU ARE GETTING THAT THE $6 MILLION THESE PASS THROUGH FUNDS, THROUGH THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, THROUGH TEXAS OF TRANSPORTATION, SPECIFICALLY FOR A DA COMPLIANCE THERE SIDEWALKS AND SHARED USE PATHS.
BUT AS YOU SEE, AND I'VE SHOWN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, THE LADY IN HER WHEELCHAIR IS IN THE AREA WHERE IMAM ISLAM MOSSAD WAS KILLED YEAGER IN NORTH LAMAR.
THIS IS THE SAME BLOCK, 1, 2, 3 0 0 NORTH LAMAR, WHERE MR. DO DONALD NORTON WAS KILLED IN 2016.
HE DIED FROM HIS INJURIES, HIS SERVICE DOG LIVED.
AND SO I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE DOTTIE WATKINS HAS REFUSED TO CLOSE.
THE MIDBLOCK STOPS THE METROPOLITAN PARK.
WALNUT CREEK IS ON THE RIGHT OF THE SCREEN, AND THE HAKA PROPERTY IS ON THE LEFT.
AND I'M ASKING YOU TO PUT A PEDESTRIAN HYBRID BEACON THERE AND TO MAKE THIS AREA SAFE.
YOU'VE SEEN THESE SLIDES AS WELL.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE TERRACOTTA ON THE UPPER RIGHT HAND, UPPER LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE SCREEN.
IT'S 10% MORE TO EACH PROJECT WHEN THEY ADD THESE, THIS COLORATION.
BUT IT ESSENTIALLY IS RED SIDEWALKS EQUATE TO RED LINING.
IT'S 80% AREA MEDIAN INCOME HERE IN THE AIRPORT AREA.
YOU HAVE TO GO TO DECEMBER 17TH, 2020 BOARD PACKET FOR HAKA WHERE MIKE GERBER TOLD THE BOARD THAT THE INTEREST IN THE AREA DIDN'T WANNA SERVE THE LOWER INCOME.
THAT'S MIKE ROGERS ON THE LEFT.
BUT EVEN THOUGH HE DID THE RECON WITH ME, AUGUST 5TH, 2020 6, 20 25, I, EXCUSE ME, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE BERNARD ROAD HAS STILL BEEN THE PRIORITY.
AND THAT'S A DRUG OVERDOSE UP ABOVE.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE AS IT RELATES TO MR. ALMORE AND YOUR CHARTER, WHICH IS NUMBER FOUR, I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE I'VE ASKED HIM TO LOOK AT THESE
[00:50:01]
SHELTERS.YOU'LL SEE THAT OVER HERE ON WELLS BRANCH, THERE'S A GENTLEMAN SITTING ON THE GROUND.
THERE'S AN ENCAMPMENT BEHIND HIM.
BUT YOU CAN SEE HERE AT HYDE PARK WHERE 3 45 WILL BE ELIMINATED BECAUSE A LOW RIDERSHIP, THAT BUS STOP SHELTER HAS BEEN THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME FOR WHITE PEOPLE.
NEXT SLIDE I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE, YOU MENTIONED ROUTE 18.
I WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THAT THERE WAS AN AUGUST 18TH, 2016 CONTRACT WITH VOTERS THAT RANKED NORTH LAMAR NUMBER ONE.
BUT THIS IS THE 18TH MLK BUS ROUTE.
AND IT ACTUALLY AIRPORT THAT AREA WAS NOT RANKED, UH, HIGHER THAN NORTH LAMAR.
NEXT SLIDE, I'LL JUST CLOSE SHOWING YOU HY PARK AGAIN.
AND, UM, THESE AMENITIES, I'M GONNA ASK YOU TO PUT THE TRASH CANS BACK.
YOU'RE NOT TAKING IT AWAY FROM THE LOW RIDERSHIP ROUTES.
YOU HAVE MORE AMENITIES HERE IN HYDE PARK, AND YOU CAN SEE THE TWO BUSES AND ONE ON STANDBY, BUT ON THE RIGHT, THAT'S WELLS BRANCH, HEB, WHERE YOU WERE TOLD THAT'S WHERE THE RIDERSHIP IS, BUT YET THEY'VE TAKEN THE TRASH CAN AWAY.
AND LASTLY, MR. EASTON, THAT'S MY TIME, MR. CHAIR.
I JUST WANT YOU TO RECOGNIZE THE STAFF SAYS THAT THEY FOLLOW THE SERVICE GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS, BUT THIS IS THE ACCESS ROAD BEHIND HEB HANCOCK SHOPPING CENTER, AND NOBODY RIDES THE BUS THERE.
THAT'S I 35 THAT YOU SEE PICTURED.
AND THAT GREEN SHELTER TELLS YOU HOW LONG THEY'VE ACTUALLY PRIVILEGED HYDE PARK.
SO I'M JUST GONNA ASK YOU TO DO THE RIGHT THING, UM, BY THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE NORTHEAST OF US, 180 3.
AND I THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO MAKE MY COMMENTS OUTTA ORDER AND TO BE SO EXTENSIVE.
ALRIGHT? UH, THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO, UH, TO MAKE A COMMENTS.
CERTAINLY, UH, ANY QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
CAN I ASK YOU A TECHNICALITY THOUGH? WHAT'S THAT? CAN YOU JUST, UH, TELL ME FOR THE SMALL, UM, CITIES, WHERE IS THAT PROCESS? LIKE, HOW DO THEY, I KNOW TRAVIS COUNTY, THE CITY AND CAMPO, BUT HOW DOES THAT PERSON GET SELECTED? IS THERE A MEETING? SO WE, WE CAN, UH, WE CAN SIT YOU, UM, HAVE YOU SIT WITH THE APPROPRIATE STAFF.
WE CAN, WE CAN GIVE YOU THE, THE UPDATES ON THAT AND GIVE YOU THE PROCESS, UM, THROUGH MR. EASTON.
HE CAN HELP US HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW THE REPRESENTATIVES TO THE BOARD ARE CHOSEN.
[VII.1. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to implement the June 2026 Service Changes, and accepting the results of the Title VI Analysis. (Part 2 of 2)]
UH, WE WILL MOVE BACK TO ACTION.ITEM NUMBER ONE AND CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE ACTION ITEM NUMBER ONE.
UM, MOVED BY COUNCIL MEMBER VELA AND SECONDED BY, UH, BOARD MEMBER HARRIS.
AND, UH, LET ME READ IT INTO THE RECORD, APPROVAL OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO IMPLEMENT THIS, THE JUNE, 2026 SERVICE CHANGES AND ACCEPT THE RESULTS OF THE TITLE SIX ANALYSIS.
IS THERE ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE.
ALL IN FAVOR, LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UH, AND SO THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[VII.2. Approval of a resolution authorizing the President & CEO, or her designee, to finalize and execute a contract with Ortiz Construction Group, Inc, for roof replacement at the Administration, Fleet Maintenance, and Fuel & Wash Buildings located at 2910 E. 5th Street, Austin, Texas, in an amount not to exceed $517,430.]
UH, MOVING INTO ACTION ITEM NUMBER TWO, WHICH IS APPROVAL OF A RE OF A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE PRESIDENT AND CEO OR HER DESIGNEE TO FINALIZE AND EXECUTE A CONTRACT WITH ORTIZ CONSTRUCTION GROUP, INC.FOR ROOF REPLACEMENT AT THE ADMINISTRATION, FLEET MAINTENANCE AND FUEL, AND, UH, WASH BUILDINGS LOCATED AT 20, UH, 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET, AUSTIN, TEXAS, AND AN AMOUNT NOT TO EXCEED, UH, $517,430.
UH, MR. HILL, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRMAN, TIAN, PRESIDENT, CEO WATKINS AND THE BOARD, UH, I WANT TO PRESENT A PROJECT THAT WE ARE WORKING ON AS PART OF STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.
THE ROOFS OF ALL THOSE BUILDINGS ARE 20 YEARS OLD.
UH, AT THAT AGE, THE WARRANT HAS EXPIRED ON THOSE BUILDINGS AND WE ARE HAVING ROOF LEAKS IN THOSE BUILDINGS.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE PROPOSING TO CHANGE OUT THE ROOFS FOR THOSE THREE FACILITIES.
UH, BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? NO QUESTIONS.
HEARING NONE, CHAIR WILL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO APPROVE.
BOARD MEMBER ROSS AND BOARD MEMBER OF ANGLES.
I, I KNOW THIS LAST TIME I LOOKED LEFT, SO I STARTED RIGHT THIS TIME.
WE'VE NOW, UH, UH, MADE A MOTION, UH, FOR THE ITEM TO BE APPROVED.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? FURTHER DISCUSSION, FURTHER DISCUSSION.
LET IT BE KNOWN BY SAYING AYE.
UH, LOOKING ZOE HAS RAISED HIS HAND TO, TO INDICATE, AYE.
SO THE CHAIR WILL MAKE IT UNANIMOUS.
[00:55:01]
UH, LET'S SEE.SO, UH, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE PRESENTATIONS.
[VIII.1. Update on implementation of CapMetro Expo and Pleasant Valley Rapid Routes.]
NOW GONNA MOVE INTO DISCUSSION ITEMS, AND OUR FIRST ITEM WILL BE AN UPDATE ON THE EXPO AND PLEASANT VALLEY RAPID ROUTES IMPLEMENTATION, UH, FROM MS. BAEZ AND MR. SABOSKI.GOOD AFTERNOON CHAIR, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
GOOD AFTERNOON, PRESIDENT AND CEO WATKINS.
I'M OUR EVP OF EXPERIENCE AND ENGAGEMENT AT CAP METRO.
AND TODAY I'LL BE CO-PRESENTING WITH MY COLLEAGUE, COO ANDY S KOWSKI, FOR AN UPDATE ON THE CAT METRO RAPID EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHT THIRTY SEVEN LINES.
SO HERE'S A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE AGENDA WE'RE GOING TO GO THROUGH.
UM, BUT BEFORE WE GET INTO THE AGENDA, WE GET TO BE HERE TODAY BECAUSE OF A LOT OF REALLY HARD WORK FROM OUR TEAMS AND THE CCED TEAMS, THE PLANNING TEAMS OPERATIONS.
IT, IT TRULY HAS BEEN AN AGENCY-WIDE EFFORT TO GET US WHERE WE ARE HERE TODAY.
UM, I GET THE FUN PART OF GETTING TO PRESENT SOME OF THE GOOD NEWS.
SO, UM, I DO WANNA THANK MY COLLEAGUES BEFORE I CONTINUE.
UM, SO THE AGENDA WILL GO THROUGH, WE ARE GONNA DO A BRIEF PROJECT OVERVIEW.
WE'LL GO THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES AND TESTING THE OPERATIONAL READINESS ACTIVITIES, AND THEN THE NEXT STEPS AND WHAT WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THE SERVICE LAUNCH.
SO A BRIEF PROJECT OVERVIEW, ROUTES 800 PLEASANT VALLEY AND 8 37 EXPO CENTER.
THEY INCLUDE TWO NEW PARK AND RIDE FACILITIES, 10 MINUTE FREQUENCY DURING PEAK PERIODS, AN ALL ELECTRIC FLEET WITH END OF LINE AND DEPOT CHARGING.
AND OUR FUNDING IS COMING FROM 65 MILLION FROM TWO FTA SMALL STARTS GRANTS, AND 35 MILLION IN LOCAL DOLLARS THANKS TO PROJECT CONNECT FUNDING APPROVED BY VOTERS IN 2020.
THE BOARDINGS IN THE 10 MONTHS SINCE OUR INITIAL SERVICE LAUNCH IN FEBRUARY OF 2025.
SO TO BRING YOU BACK TO FEBRUARY OF 2025, WE HAD AN AGENCY-WIDE, UM, DECISION TO MAKE LED MUCH BY DOTIE BODY DOTTIE'S DISCRETION OF, WE WEREN'T FULLY READY FOR A FULL LAUNCH, BUT WE HAD INITIAL SERVICE AND WE SAID LET'S GET SOMETHING OUT TO THE COMMUNITY SO OUR CUSTOMERS CAN START BENEFITING IMMEDIATELY WHILE WE WORK TOWARDS THE FULL LAUNCH.
UM, AND IN THOSE SHORT 10 MONTHS, JUST FEBRUARY TO DECEMBER OF 2025, THE 800 ROUTE PLEASANT VALLEY ALREADY, UH, HAD 300, 300,000 BOARDINGS AND 8 37 EXPO CENTER HAD 200,000 BOARDINGS.
UM, WHICH WERE APPRECIATIVE TO OUR CUSTOMERS TOO FOR GIVING IT A SHOT.
UM, AND THEY'LL ONLY BE MORE PLEASED AS THE FREQUENCY INCREASES.
SO OUR PROJECT DEVELOPMENT, WHERE HAVE WE BEEN? THE VOTERS APPROVED THIS AS PART OF OUR PROJECT CONNECT, UH, TRANSIT EXPANSION PLAN IN 2020.
ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE LASTED FROM 2020 TO 2021.
WE'VE BEEN IN DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION FROM 2021 TO 2026 TESTING.
AND THAT INITIAL SERVICE THAT LAUNCHED IN FEBRUARY OF 25 IS CONTINUING THROUGH 26.
AND WE ANTICIPATE OUR DELIVERY IN FULL SERVICE THIS SUMMER IN JUNE OF 2026.
BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT THESE RAPID LINES IN ISOLATION BECAUSE THEY ARE PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT, UH, CONNECT IMPLEMENTATION AND A COMMITMENT THAT WE MADE TO THE COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF ALL OF THE SUCCESSES AND THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE MOVED FROM, UH, A VOTER REFERENDUM IN 2020 TO TRUE SERVICES THAT ARE OUT THERE IN THE COMMUNITY SERVING PEOPLE TODAY.
SO, AS A REMINDER FOR PICKUP, ALL FUNDED BY PROJECT CONNECT, WE HAVE OUR DECKER DOVE SPRINGS, NORTH, OAK HILL, SOUTH MIN CHAKA, AND DECAL ZONES, ALL FUNDED BY PROJECT CONNECT.
OF COURSE, TODAY HERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE RAPID EIGHT HUNDRED AND EIGHT THIRTY SEVEN LINES.
AND THEN WE'VE MADE NUMEROUS INVESTMENTS IN CAT METRO RAIL AS WELL.
SO LAKELINE TO LEANDER DOUBLE TRACKING.
UM, MANY OF YOU WERE WITH US TO BE ABLE TO CELEBRATE THE MCCOLL STATION GRAND OPENING.
UM, WE HAVE ONGOING WORK, UH, WITH PLAZA.
SO THE STATUS ON THAT PROJECT IS WE STARTED DESIGN LAST YEAR, ANTICIPATED CONSTRUCTION IN 2027.
UM, AND THAT'LL INCLUDE DOUBLE TRACKING PLATFORM EXPANSION TO SUPPORT THE RED LINE IN A FUTURE GREEN LINE MULTIMODAL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENTS.
AND THE FUNDING IS ALSO COUPLED WITH THE FEDERAL RAISE GRANT AND LOCAL DOLLARS CAP METRO AND THE CITY OF BOSTON FUNDING.
OF COURSE, WE HAVE OUR GREEN LINE STILL AS OUR FUTURE PROJECT AND WE HAVE SUPPORT FACILITIES.
UM, ALL THIS WORK NEEDS SOME SUPPORT FACILITIES.
SO WE HAVE DEPOT CHARGING RIGHT HERE AT 29 10 EAST FIFTH STREET.
AND OUR SOUTH BASED DEMAND RESPONSE FACILITY IS IN DESIGN AS WE SPEAK.
UM, THAT'LL BE A SERVICE FACILITY FOR ACCESS AND PICKUP TO SUPPORT THE IMPROVED REGIONAL COVERAGE.
SO TO DIVE MORE INTO THE DETAILS, I'M GONNA PASS IT OVER TO ANDY.
I'M THE CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER HERE AT CAP METRO.
UH, I AS WELL WANT TO ECHO WHAT SAM SAID THAT I'M HERE TO, IN SUPPORT OF A WHOLE BUNCH OF DIFFERENT ME, UM, GROUPS OF THE AGENCY, CCED, IT OPERATIONS GROUP, UM, MARK OM PLANNING, UM, AS WE ARE WORKING AS A TEAM TO BRING THIS FORWARD.
[01:00:01]
A QUICK STATION UPDATE.THE SERVICE HAS 75 TOTAL STATIONS, OF WHICH 47 ARE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF GETTING INSTALLATIONS OR ADDING THINGS TO 'EM.
THE STATIONS ARE IN PLACE, BUT WE HAVE TO DO ALL THE NECESSARY CAMERAS AND, UM, AN IT RELATED STUFF AS WELL AS SOME OTHER UPGRADES.
UM, FINISHING TOUCHES ON IT TO COMPLETE IT.
WE HAVE 28 OF THE STATIONS COMPLETE AND, UM, ARE ON SCHEDULE TO GET THESE COMPLETED.
FOR THE, UM, FOR THE, UM, JUNE STARTUP, UH, GOODNIGHT PARK, UH, GOODNIGHT RANCH PARKING RIDE.
I WAS OUT THERE LAST THURSDAY.
UM, WE'RE WAITING TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY, WHICH WE SHOULD GET SOMETIME, WE HOPE THIS WEEK.
UM, IT HAS FOUR CHARGERS ON IT.
UM, A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT, UM, UM, UM, LOCATIONS FOR, FOR BUSES ARE PULL IN AND A BATHROOM FOR OUR BUS OPERATORS.
A VERY IMPORTANT ELEMENT, UM, REQUIRED FOR OUR SERVICE.
AND, UM, ON A BUS OVERHEAD CHARGING TESTING, WE ALREADY HAD BUSES OUT THERE AND WE'RE 95% COMPLETE WITH THOSE.
UM, WITH THAT TESTING AND IT'S GOING WELL.
UM, WITH THIS ALSO IS A TURNAROUND THAT WE NEED TO DO ON A SLAUGHTER LANE IN WHICH, UM, PRESENTLY THE BUSES WILL GO AROUND.
WHAT WOULD BE THE TYPICAL TURNAROUND? WE'RE ACTUALLY GONNA MOVE IT SO THAT WHERE BUSES OPERATE WITHIN THE MEDIAN AND THEN THERE'S A CROSSWALK THERE TO KEEP THE BUSES AND TRAFFIC, UM, VEHICULAR TRAFFIC SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER.
EVERY BUS HAS TO DO THAT TURNAROUND AND GET BACK TO THE SLAUGHTER, UM, PARKING RIDE WHEN THEY GO IN SERVICE, UH, EXPO CENTER, THEY DID A VIDEO FOR ME.
UM, THIS ONE IS RIGHT BEHIND, UM, UM, SLAUGHTER.
IT'S, IT'S, IT'S NEAR COMPLETE.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK, UM, AT THIS LOCATION.
THEY'RE DOING A LOT OF WORK EVERY DAY.
WE'VE HAD BUSES OUT THERE READY TO DO THE TESTING OF THE CHARGING, OVERHEAD CHARGING.
THERE ARE ALSO FOUR OVERHEAD CHARGES HERE, AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH, UM, THE CCE TEAM AND OPS TO GET THE TESTING ALL COMPLETED.
AND WE'RE LOOKING AT CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY SOMETIME IN THE APRIL TIMEFRAME.
UM, THIS ALSO INCLUDES A NEW TRAFFIC SINGLE AT DECKER, UM, THAT'S BEEN INSTALLED AND OPERATIONAL THAT ALLOWS US TO GET IN AND OUT OF THE FACILITY, UM, SAFELY.
UM, INFRASTRUCTURE AND OPERATIONAL TESTING.
MAIN THING WITH INFRASTRUCTURE IS COMPLIANCE WITH CITY CODES AND REGULATIONS.
MAKE SURE EVERYTHING'S FULLY FUNCTIONAL, UM, UTILITIES, UM, THAT OUR SYSTEMS ARE COMPATIBLE.
THE BUS SYSTEM TALKS TO THE CHARGING SYSTEM AND EVERYTHING WORKS THE WAY IT'S SUPPOSED TO WORK.
THAT WAY WHEN A BUS OPERATOR PULLS UP, THEY ALIGN THEIR BUS UNDERNEATH THE CHARGER, IT DROPS, THEY GET A LITTLE BIT OF JUICE AND ALLOWS 'EM TO KEEP GOING AND EXTEND THE RANGE TO THAT BUS FOR THE WHOLE DAY.
UM, WHAT WE'RE DOING ON THE OP SIDE IS AS WE GET ACCESS TO THIS FACILITY, WE GO DOWN THERE WITH OUR TRAINING GROUP.
WE GO DOWN THERE WITH OUR, UM, MAINTENANCE TEAMS. WE MAKE SURE OUR FACILITY MAINTENANCE TEAM, WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT THE, THAT WE UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUSES OPERATE WITHIN THE AREA.
WE DEVELOP OR FINALIZE OUR, UM, SOPS, UM, PRODUCE TRAINING MATERIALS SO THAT WAY EVERY OPERATOR CAN GET TRAINED ON HOW THEY APPROACH THE CHARGER, HOW THEY MANAGE IT, WHAT, WHEN DO THEY OPEN THE DOOR COMPARED TO, UM, WHEN THE CHARGER IS IN PLACE, STUFF LIKE THAT, THAT WE WANNA MAKE SURE IT'S, UM, EVERYTHING IS, IS DONE.
UM, CO ALLY, UM, ENSURE MAINTENANCE AND CHARGING PLANS ARE READY TO GO AND SUPPORT OUR SOPS.
AND WE'RE WORKING TO MAKE SURE OUR, UH, EQUIPMENT IS AVAILABLE TO FULLY SUPPORT THIS.
UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE NEED 38 BUSES TO MAKE THIS SERVICE.
UM, AND WE HIT 33 LAST WEEK, AND WE WE'RE CONTINUALLY IMPROVING GETTING THE NUMBER OF ELECTRIC BUSES AVAILABLE EVERY DAY TO THE POINT WHERE WE COULD SUPPORT THIS OPERATION.
UM, ALSO WITH THIS IS SOMETHING, AS WE GET ACCESS TO THE FACILITIES, WE ARE LOOKING AT WHAT THE STATE OF CHARGE OF A BUS IS, WHILE IT'S IN SERVICE OR THE CHARGING OVERSIGHT, JUST MAKING SURE THAT WE GET THAT AS LONG AS WE CAN KEEP THE BUS OUT THERE, WE CAN THAT, BECAUSE THAT TOP OFF CHARGING ALLOWS US TO KEEP, EXTEND THE VEHICLE'S RANGE.
UM, ACTIVITIES, OPERATOR ONBOARDING, TRAINING, UM, WE NEED A THOUSAND TOTAL OPERATORS IN THE SYSTEM.
THAT'S FOR THE WHOLE, UM, CAP METRO IN ORDER FOR US TO, UM, UM, UM, OPERATE THE SERVICE.
WE TYPICALLY SEE A LITTLE BIT OF A DROP IN SOME OPERATORS IN THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR AS PEOPLE RETIRE AND LEAVE.
UM, WE ARE, WE HAVE SPECIAL RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES THAT ARE ONGOING.
UM, AS OF NOW, WE HAVE 52 OPERATORS IN TRAINING.
UM, FOUR NEW ONES ARRIVED THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE ABOUT 37, UM, HIRES IN THE QUEUE, MEANING THEY'VE APPLIED AND THEY'RE, WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE ONBOARDING PROCESS.
AND, UM, WE'RE JUST, WE'RE WORKING A GOAL.
AND OPERATOR HIRING IS SOMETHING THAT JUST ALWAYS HAPPENS.
UM, WE'RE, WE'RE PUSHING HARDER BY DOING SPECIAL RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES AND DOING EVERYTHING WE CAN TO GET PEOPLE IN THE DOOR.
UM, IN THE APRIL TIMEFRAME, WE DO ROUTE TESTING AND, AND ROUTE TRAINING IN MAY AND LOOKING FOR A SERVICE SLOT OF JUNE 7TH.
SO WITH THAT, I'M GONNA, OH, SAFETY AND SECURE SEARCH TRAINING.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE TO GO THROUGH A SAFETY AND CERTIFICATION AND TESTING, UM, PROTOCOL.
WE HAVE A SAFETY AND SECURITY, SAFETY AND SECURITY CERTIFICATION COMMITTEE.
[01:05:01]
THAT WE DO.THEY REVIEW THE EQUIPMENT, THEY REVIEW THE PROCEDURE.
WE COME UP, WE, THEY REVIEW THE TRAINING WE'VE DONE, UM, AND THEY DO THIS THROUGHOUT CONSTRUCTION, BUT ALSO COME TO A FINAL END OF, BEFORE WE ENTER SERVICE.
WE ARE, WE'RE SAFETY AND CERT, UM, SAFETY AND SECURITY CERTIFIED THAT ALLOWS US TO ENTER INTO SERVICE.
AND, UM, ALSO WITHIN THAT IS FIRST RESPONDENT TRAINING, WHICH IS PLANNED TO OCCUR IN, IN APRIL.
THAT'S WHERE WE BRING, IT'S A FULL SCALE EXERCISE.
WE BRING OUR STAKEHOLDERS IN AND WE ACTUALLY DO FULL SAIL EXERCISES AT, UM, AT BOTH FACILITIES, BOTH OF OUR PARK AND RIGHT FACILITIES TO ENSURE THAT, THAT EVERYBODY'S FIRST RESPONDENT TRAINED TRAIN.
AND I KNOW YOU'VE, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT A COUPLE LEFT, BUT I THINK THERE WAS ONE QUESTION ABOUT SOMETHING YOU JUST COVERED.
BOARD MEMBER, VE A A QUICK QUESTION ON THE, THE, UH, THOUSAND TOTAL OPERATORS.
THAT'S FOR CAPITAL METRO SYSTEM WIDE? YEAH.
AND, UH, AGAIN, JUST TO CLARIFY THAT, WE'RE AT 923 TOTAL ONBOARDED.
UH, WHAT DOES THAT NUMBER LOOK LIKE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS? UH, DO YOU HAVE ANY, ANY SENSE OF THE TREND ON THAT? UM, A COUPLE YEARS AGO BEFORE WE STARTED, UM, THIS PARK AND RIDE WERE IN EIGHT LOW, EIGHT HUNDREDS TO MID 800.
SO WE HAD TO ADD PROBABLY 50 OR 60 OPERATORS TO RUN THE SERVICE TO THE LEVEL IT IS TODAY.
AND THEN WE'RE ADDING MORE NOW TO GET IT TO, UM, TO, TO THE, TO, TO THE 10 MINUTE HEADWAY.
SO WE'RE, WE'RE AT KIND OF A SYSTEM HIGH RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE A SYSTEM HIGH AND WE'VE BEEN FOR, SINCE I'VE BEEN HERE, BUT WE STILL NEED ANOTHER, YOU KNOW, 75 OR SO, HUH? YEAH, WE, UM, AND W OUR GOAL IS A THOUSAND.
WE'RE GONNA RUN THE SERVICE AND JUST, UH, AND AGAIN, THIS IS A, A ACTUALLY A VERY COMMON CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE HOW DOES OVERTIME, HOW DOES THAT AFFECT OVERTIME, UH, OF THE EXISTING? 'CAUSE AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'RE ALWAYS STRUGGLING WITH, UH, AT, AT, AT CITY HALL, ACTUALLY, WE DO HAVE IN OUR SCHEDULE SOME BUILT IN OVERTIME, UM, FOUR TO SIX HOURS IN WHICH IT IS BUILT IN THAT ALLOWS US TO BUILD THE SCHEDULES AND FILL THE RUNS THAT WE NEED TO RUN.
UM, IT'S JUST, AND IT'S VERY COMMON IN TRANSIT INDUSTRY TO BUILD OVERTIME INTO YOUR SCHEDULE.
UM, PROBABLY THE SINGLE HARDEST THING OVER THE PAST FOUR OR FIVE YEARS OF ANY TRANSIT AGENCY IS TO GET BUS OPERATORS.
IT'S JUST, IT'S JUST TOUGH OUT THERE.
ANY OTHER QUESTIONS ON, ON ONE OF THOSE POINTS? THANK YOU.
BOARD MEMBER VELA, PLEASE CONTINUE.
OH, I'M ACTUALLY GET TO HAND IT BACK OVER TO SAM.
I'LL BRING US HOME ON THESE LAST FEW SLIDES.
SO OF COURSE, UH, WE CAN BUILD THE SERVICE, BUT NOW WE NEED PEOPLE TO RIDE THE SERVICE.
SO WE HA DO HAVE ONGOING CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS.
UM, WE WILL DO A FULL PAID ADVERTISING RUN ANNOUNCING THE FULL SERVICE AND THE PARK AND RIDES.
UM, OUR MARKETING TEAM'S VERY EXCITED ABOUT, UM, BOTH OF THE PARK AND RIDES.
THEY GIVE US AN OPPORTUNITY TO, TO ATTRACT NEW CUSTOMERS, UM, WHILE WE'RE ALSO BETTER SERVING OUR EXISTING CUSTOMERS.
UM, ONGOING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR FULL SERVICE HAS BEEN FROM FEBRUARY, UM, THROUGH JUNE OF 26.
SO THAT INCLUDES OUR CAP METRO COMMITTEE PRESENTATIONS, UM, 10 COMMUNITY EVENTS THAT WE'VE ATTENDED.
WE'VE HOSTED PUBLIC MEETINGS BY CAP METRO, UM, AND WE ARE WORKING AT THE AT STOP OUTREACH DAY AS WELL FOR MULTIPLE STOP ENGAGEMENTS.
SO, NEXT STOP, UH, NEXT SERVICE LAUNCH.
THIS SLIDE SHOULD LOOK VERY FAMILIAR.
YOU APPROVED IT ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO AS PART OF OUR JUNE SERVICE CHANGE.
SO, UM, I WON'T BELABOR THE POINT, UH, BUT MAYBE REPEAT THAT.
WE DO HAVE 10 MINUTE FREQUENCIES, ADDITIONAL ZERO EMISSION BUSES, NEW PARK AND RIDES, AND THE ADJACENT ROUTE CHANGES THAT ARE PART OF THE JUNE SERVICE CHANGES.
AND THERE WILL BE A SAVE THE DATE COMING OUT, UM, AT SOME POINT SOON.
UH, WE ARE GONNA PLAN ANOTHER SERVICE CELEBRATION WITH OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR PARTNERS.
UM, IT'LL BE PLANNED FOR SUMMER OF 2026 TO ALIGN WITH OUR SERVICE LAUNCH.
AND WITH THAT, WE ARE AVAILABLE FOR ANY QUESTIONS.
AND WE HAVE SOME COLLEAGUES IN THE ROOM THAT CAN HELP ADDRESS QUESTIONS AS WELL.
BOARD MEMBERS, ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NO QUESTIONS.
[VIII.2. Update on CapMetro Public Safety and Security Initiatives]
SO WE WILL MOVE TO DISCUSSION ITEM TWO, WHICH IS AN UPDATE ON CAP METRO PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY INITIATIVES.NOW I JUST HAVE TO ASK, IS IT, IS IT LIKE DAVID BOWIE OR IS IT BOWIE?
MR. CHAIRMAN, CEO WATKINS, BOARD MEMBERS, RO BUIE, CHIEF OF CAP METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'M HERE TO GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW AND A BACKGROUND ON WHAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN DOING.
AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN EXTREMELY BUSY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, JUST TO TELL YOU WHERE, WHERE WE ARE RIGHT NOW, THE CAPTAIN METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS APPROXIMATELY 15 PATROL OFFICERS, TWO SERGEANTS, AND WE JUST RECENTLY HIRED A BRAND NEW ASSISTANT
[01:10:01]
CHIEF AND A BRAND NEW CAPTAIN WHO'S COME ALONG WITH ME.THEY'LL BE AVAILABLE AFTER THE MEETING FOR IF THE BOARD MEMBERS CHOOSE TO, UH, CHOOSE TO VISIT WITH THEM.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'D LIKE TO KICK IT OFF BY TALKING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW WE GOT HERE AND WHAT IT IS WE DO.
CAP METRO HAS A THREE PRONG PUBLIC SAFETY APPROACH, WHICH IS UNIQUE.
YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T ALWAYS NEED THE POLICE FOR EVERYTHING.
AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME SITUATIONS WHERE CITIZENS JUST REQUIRE ASSISTANCE, AND THAT'S WHERE THIS THREE-PRONG APPROACH COMES INTO, UH, EFFECT.
WHETHER IT'S ASSISTANCE WITH, YOU KNOW, BUS PASSES OR SOMEONE HAVING TROUBLE, YOU KNOW, FINDING A ROUTE OR, OR, OR GETTING OFF A BUS.
BUT THEN THERE ARE TIMES WHEN YOU DO NEED THE POLICE, AND THAT'S WHERE WE COME IN.
YOU KNOW, OUR OFFICERS ARE HIGH, OUR OFFICERS ARE HIGHLY TRAINED.
WE ONLY GET VETERAN OFFICERS WHEN WE CAN.
NOW, YOU KNOW, POLICING IS A HIGH MARKET RIGHT NOW, AS WE'VE SEEN IN THE NEWS, IN THE MEDIA.
AGENCIES ARE STRUGGLING, STRUGGLING TO GET PEOPLE TO COME ON BOARD.
AND CAP METRO IS NO DIFFERENT.
I WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, UH, WHY TRANSIT POLICING MATTERS.
AND, UH, MR. CHAIRMAN, I WILL TELL YOU, I HAVE APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 11 SLIDES, SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT,
SO WHY DOES TRANSIT POLICING MATTERS? WELL, THE MISSION OF THE TRANSIT POLICE IS TO CREATE A, A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR THE PEOPLE WHO USE THE SERVICE.
BUT THEN YOU GOTTA FIGURE OUT HOW DO YOU GET THERE WHEN YOU GOTTA HAVE A VISION? AND THAT GOES BACK TO THE PREVIOUS SLIDE THAT I TALKED ABOUT.
THAT'S THE VISION OF CAP METRO IS THE THREE-PRONG APPROACH.
AND TO TRAIN OUR PEOPLE, YOU KNOW, IN A WAY IN WHICH OUR RIDERS AND OUR OPERATORS AND OUR STAFF FEEL SAFE.
WELL, WHAT DO WE DO WHEN WE ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION AND OUR VISION? WELL, WE HAVE A SAFE TRANSIT SYSTEM, AND WE, WE HAVE COMMUNITY TRUST.
MR. CHAIRMAN, THE TRANSIT SYSTEM SAFETY ENVIRONMENT IS ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE LAW ENFORCEMENT, UNIQUE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENVIRONMENTS THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN.
I HAVE NEVER BEEN A PART OF A MOVING CITY.
USUALLY WHEN COPS GET A CALL, THEY GO TO THE ADDRESS AND ADDRESS THE SITUATION, BUT WE ARE IN AN EVER-CHANGING THREAT ENVIRONMENT WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE TRANSIT SYSTEM.
HUNDREDS OF BUSES MOVING ACROSS HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF STOPS.
IT'S A CONSTANT MOVING SITTING CITY THAT HAS PEOPLE FROM VARIOUS WALKS OF LIFE ON THERE.
AND IT'S ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE TYPES OF POLICING I HAVE EVER SEEN.
NOT ONLY THAT WE SPAN ACROSS DIFFERENT JURISDICTIONS.
OUR OFFICERS HAVE TO MAYBE BE IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY ONE DAY, NEXT DAY THEY'RE IN TRAVIS COUNTY, YOU KNOW, MAYBE THEY'RE IN LEANDER, MAYBE THEY'RE IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN, AND THEY HAVE TO BE AWARE OF THIS EVER-CHANGING ENVIRONMENT.
AND FOR THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE NIMBLE.
WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICE.
NOW I'M GONNA GET A LITTLE BIT INTO THE POLICING STRATEGY.
WHAT'S THE STRATEGY? WELL, THIS FIRST AND FOREMOST IS TO BE PROACTIVE.
THERE'S ALWAYS AN OLD SAYING OF, THERE'S NEVER A COP AROUND WHEN YOU NEED ONE.
WHERE OUR, OUR PHILOSOPHY IS, LET'S BE PROACTIVE.
LET'S BE WHERE THE PUBLIC AND OUR CITIZENS AND OUR OPERATORS AND OUR STAFF ARE TELLING US, HEY, THIS IS WHERE WE NEED HELP.
SO, 67% OF OUR ACTIVITY, WHICH YOU SEE THERE, TO YOUR, TO YOUR FAR LEFT, IS WHAT'S CALLED DIRECTED PATROL BEING SEEN.
YOU KNOW, BE SOMEWHERE WHERE THE ACTIVITY IS, BE IN THOSE PLACES THAT WE HAVE A HIGH DEMAND.
BUT THEN OF COURSE, IN THE MIDDLE COLUMN, YOU SEE THERE, WE GOTTA RESPOND TO CALLS.
WHEN PEOPLE CALL FOR SERVICE, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE MOBILE.
PEOPLE ASK QUESTIONS, WELL, WHY DIDN'T YOU PUT OFFICERS ON A BUS? WELL, ON AVERAGE, WE HAVE ABOUT SIX OFFICERS ON DUTY THAT'S NORTH, SOUTH AND CENTRAL, AND THEY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO RESPOND TO CALLS FOR SERVICE WITH ALL THE BUSES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
AND THEN FINALLY, THE QUALITY OF LIFE.
THERE'S SOMETIMES WE COME ACROSS INDIVIDUALS WHO MAY BE CAUSING A DISTURBANCE OR BEING DISRUPTIVE, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE POLICE COMES IN.
THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE TO ACT TO KEEP OUR ENVIRONMENT SAFE.
MR. CHAIRMAN, I'LL PAUSE RIGHT THERE.
I HAVE ABOUT FOUR OR FIVE MORE SLIDES, BOARD MEMBERS, QUESTIONS? QUESTIONS? GOOD.
MORE NUMBERS, BUT I WON'T BORE YOU WITH THE, THE, WITH THE DETAILS.
SINCE JUNE OF LAST YEAR, THE CAP, MITCHELL POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS ADDRESSED 196 TOTAL OFFENSES.
AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY OFFENSES? THAT MEANS CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS, CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY AND CRIMES AGAINST SOCIETY.
AND THAT'S OUR MISSION, IS PROTECT THE LIVES, RIGHTS AND PROPERTY OF THE CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE.
WELL, THAT'S NOT JUST THE CALLS FOR SERVICE.
[01:15:01]
DIRECTED PATROLS THAT I TALKED ABOUT.HERE ARE THE, HERE ARE THE NUMBERS ON THE FAR, ON THE FAR RIGHT, OR MY FAR RIGHT.
75 ARREST, 22 CITATIONS, 12 WARNINGS.
THOSE CITATIONS ARE NOT ONLY TRAFFIC CITATIONS, BUT THERE ARE, THERE ARE ALSO NON-TRAFFIC CITATIONS IN THERE AS WELL.
MR. CHAIRMAN, WE KNOW THAT IN THE NEWS RECENTLY, WE'VE HAD A LOT OF HIGH PROFILE, YOU KNOW, EVENTS WITH CAP METRO.
AND ONE OF THE QUESTIONS IS, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THOSE? WHAT IS THE PROCESS? WHAT IS YOUR INCIDENT RESPONSE? WELL, WHEN SOMETHING HAPPENS, OFFICERS RESPOND, WHETHER IT'S A PD CAP, METRO, LOCAL SUPPORT.
AND THEN ONCE THEY GET TO THE SCENE, THEY CHECK FOR VICTIMS SUSPECTS AND THEN SECURE THE SCENE.
AND THEN NEXT STEP IS TO NOTIFY THE PUBLIC TO LET 'EM KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.
WORK WITH OUR PARTNERS HERE AT CAP METRO TO SEE IF, FOR EXAMPLE, IF BUSES NEED TO BE, YOU KNOW, SWITCHED OVER.
YOU KNOW, IS THIS AREA STILL HAZARDOUS? THAT'S ONE OF THE JOBS THAT WE HAVE, IS TO GET INFORMATION OUT TO THE PUBLIC, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE'S A THREAT TO THEIR SAFETY.
AND THEN FINALLY, WE COME BACK AND LOOK AND SEE, HEY, WHAT ARE THE LESSONS THAT WE LEARNED? HOW CAN WE BE BETTER? WHAT DO WE NEED TO CHANGE? HOW DO WE NEED TO ADDRESS THIS SITUATION THAT JUST OCCURRED BETTER? WHAT DO OUR CALLS LOOK LIKE? WELL, SINCE THIS ONE YEAR WE WE'RE GETTING, WE'RE GAINING STEAM, AS MANY OF YOU ALREADY KNOW, IT'S, I DON'T WANT TO USE THE WORD NONSTOP, BUT IT IS NONSTOP FOR US.
YOU KNOW, IT'S NOW THAT, NOW THAT YOU HAVE A POLICE DEPARTMENT, PEOPLE AND CITIZENS ARE NOTICING IT, AND, AND, AND THEY'RE CALLING FOR ASSISTANCE.
WE TELL OUR OPERATORS AND OUR STAFF, IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING, AND MR. CHAIRMAN, THEY'RE DOING IT.
THEY'RE SEEING STUFF, AND THERE'S, AND, AND THEY'RE SAYING SOMETHING.
AND OUR, OUR, OUR DISPATCHERS ARE SENDING OUR OFFICERS OUT THERE, AS WE KNOW, WE ARE IN AN EVER-CHANGING THREAT ENVIRONMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INCIDENTS THAT ARE HAP HAPPENING THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.
AND CAP METRO IS NO DIFFERENT.
WE ARE A CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE TO THE CITIZENS THAT WE SERVE.
PEOPLE EXPECT, DEMAND, AND, AND USE THE CAP METRO SYSTEM.
AND IT ALSO CAN BE A TARGET FOR THOSE WHO CHOOSE TO CAUSE HARM TO PEOPLE.
CAP, METRO PD AND CAP METRO IS NOW PART OF THE JOINT TERRORISM TASK FORCE.
AS OF LAST MONTH, I ATTENDED A MEETING WITH THE FBI AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT PARTNERS.
IRONICALLY, IT WAS JUST BEFORE OUR FIRST MAJOR TERRORIST EVENT HAPPENED, AND THERE WAS A PLAYBOOK ALREADY ESTABLISHED.
WE'LL BE DOING SOME TRAINING UPCOMING WITH AUSTIN PD SWAT TO HANDLE SUCH SITUATIONS THAT MAY OCCUR ON OUR BUS AND ON OUR TRANSIT SYSTEM AND ON OUR RAILS.
JUST AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT OFFICERS ARE HAVING TO DEAL WITH BASED ON INTERACTIONS WITH CITIZENS.
IN EXAMPLE, ONE BUS OPER, BUS OPERATOR COORDINATION.
YOU KNOW, WE GET CALLS, WE GET COMMENTS FROM OUR OPERATORS SAYING, HEY, CAN YOU GUYS BE OVER HERE? CAN YOU HELP US HERE? AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE DID, YOU KNOW, UH, WAS WE STARTED ASSIGNING OFFICERS TO COME OUT IN THE EARLY HOURS INTO THESE TRANSIT CENTERS WHERE OPERATORS SAY, HEY, THERE'S A LOT OF ACTIVITY GOING ON, EVEN, BUT THE EVEN BEFORE THE SUN COMES UP.
AND THAT'S ONE EXAMPLE, EXAMPLE TWO COMMUNITY IS ACTUALLY COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.
CITIZENS WILL CALL AND SAY, HEY, THERE'S A BUS STOP NEAR MY COMMUNITY.
AND THERE'S ACTIVITY GOING ON THERE THAT WE BELIEVE CAP METRO PD HAS, HAS SOME TYPE OF, YOU KNOW, INSIGHT TO OR CAN ASSIST WITH.
AND THAT'S ANOTHER EXAMPLE IN THE, IN THE GEORGIAN ACRES AREA WHERE WE RESPONDED TO NEIGHBORHOODS ASKING FOR ASSISTANCE, THEY SAY, HEY, THE LOCAL POLICE WE UNDERSTAND HAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY, ACTIVITY.
THEY CAN'T GET TO EVERYTHING, BUT YOU HAVE A BUS STOP RIGHT HERE.
CAN YOU HELP? AND WE WENT OUT AND BY GOLLY, WE DID HELP PEOPLE AREN'T THERE ANYMORE CAUSING CRIMINAL ACTIVITY.
AND FINALLY, ONE OF OUR BIG TARGET AREAS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS THE WESTGATE TRANSIT CENTER.
A LOT OF VICE CRIMES GO ON THERE.
AND OUR OFFICERS ARE CONTINUALLY DOWN, CON, CONTINUOUSLY DOWN THERE.
I KNOW, I, I, I'VE SHOWN SOME PHOTOS TO, TO EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP, AND IT'S, IT'S, IT'S LOOKING A LOT BETTER.
WE ARE DEDICATED A, A, A SAFETY PRESENCE, NUMEROUS CALL VOLUME, AND INTERNAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERSHIPS STRENGTHEN THE SYSTEM OVERALL.
AND WITH THAT, MR. CHAIRMAN, I CLOSE AND I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS IF YOU OR THE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP.
ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? UH, BOARD MEMBER VALA, THANK YOU, UH, VERY MUCH FOR THE, UH, PRESENTATION.
[01:20:01]
GLAD TO SEE THE, THE CAPITOL METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT UP, UH, AND, AND RUNNING AND GLAD THAT WE'RE UP TO, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, 15, UH, PATROL OFFICERS.COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT A A LITTLE BIT MORE? SURE.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN WHEN YOU SAY SOMEONE'S, UH, ON DIRECTED PATROL? I CAN BEST GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE, SIR.
IF YOU'RE A POLICE OFFICER OUT THERE WORKING AND YOU SAY, HEY, I AM PULLING OVER HERE AT REPUBLIC SQUARE, I'LL BE OUT ON DIRECTED PATROL, WHICH MEANS YOU'RE GONNA GET OUT AND BE VISIBLE, MEET WITH THE OPERATORS, MEET WITH CITIZENS, AND BE A POLICE PRESENCE.
ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? OH, YES.
BOARD MEMBER, BOARD MEMBER ELLIS, I DO THANK YOU FOR THE SLIDES.
UM, THERE WAS ONE THAT TALKED ABOUT CRIMES AGAINST PEOPLE, PROPERTY, AND THEN SOCIETY.
CAN YOU GO INTO A BIT MORE DETAIL ABOUT WHAT IS A CRIME AGAINST SOCIETY? YES, MA'AM.
PARTICULARLY, THOSE ARE CRIMES OF VICE WHERE THERE'S A VICTIMLESS CRIME, GAMBLING, NARCOTICS, PROSTITUTION, WHERE WE IN, IN, IN THE PENAL CODE, WE SAY LAWS AGAINST THE PUBLIC ORDER OR THE SANCTITY OF SOCIETY, GENERALLY CRIMES OF VICE.
I DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SCREAMING OR THINGS LIKE THAT WHERE IT'S LIKE THERE WASN'T ACTUALLY A, YOU KNOW, NO ONE PUNCHED SOMEONE, UM, NO ONE STOLE SOMETHING.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THEY'RE SCREAMING THAT THAT IS TRUE.
UM, CAN YOU TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT WHAT IT'S LIKE TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC AND THE DRIVERS WHEN INCIDENTS HAPPEN? I KNOW WE'VE SEEN A COUPLE THINGS IN THE NEWS LATELY, AND, UH, REALLY FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NOW MM-HMM
UM, I KNOW IT PREDATES MY TIME ON THE CAP METRO BOARD, BUT I'M JUST REALLY CURIOUS WHAT IT'S LIKE TO INTERACT WITH THE PUBLIC OR THE DRIVERS WHEN SOMETHING HAS HAPPENED.
ON YOUR FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, MA'AM, REGARDING THE PUBLIC, I'LL ANSWER THAT IN, IN TWO PARTS.
ONE, FIRST OF ALL, THE PUBLIC IS GENERALLY HAPPY TO SEE US OUT AT THE DIFFERENT STOPS.
AND THEN TWO, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T WANT TO INTERACT WITH US.
AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT, ESPECIALLY IF THEY'VE BEEN A VICTIM OF A CRIME OR THEY ARE SUSPECTED OF A CRIME, WE HAVE A LOT OF, UH, WELL, WE HAVE A CERTAIN POPULATION THAT HAS CHOSEN NOT, NOT TO, YOU KNOW, REVEAL THEMSELVES, AND SOMETIMES THEY DON'T WANT TO INTERACT WITH THE, UH, OF, UH, WITH THE POLICE.
AND THEN THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, DEALING WITH THE OPERATORS, IT HAS BEEN NOTHING BUT POSITIVE FEEDBACK.
EVERY TIME WE MEET AN OPERATOR, IT'S, HEY, LET ME TELL YOU THIS WAR STORY.
CAN YOU HELP? AND SOMETIMES THEY SAY, WHAT ARE YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT? SO THAT'S KIND OF THE FEEDBACK WE GET.
AND HAVE YOU IDENTIFIED ANY SPECIFIC ROUTES WHERE YOUR OFFICERS, UH, MAY BE CALLED TO MORE THAN OTHERS? I KNOW YOU GAVE A COUPLE EXAMPLES MM-HMM
IN THE SLIDES ABOUT WESTGATE TRANSIT CENTER MM-HMM
UM, ARE THERE SPECIFIC ROUTES THAT YOU'RE, HEY, IT, MAY IT BE MORE HELPFUL TO HAVE AN OFFICER ON THIS BUS ROUTE MORE ROUTINELY? OR IS IT KIND OF CRIMES JUST POP UP IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS? WELL, TWO THINGS TO YOUR, UH, TO YOUR QUESTION.
THE SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS, IT'S NOT, UH, FEASIBLE FOR US TO PUT AN OFFICER ON A ROUTE, AND I ASSUME WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ON A TRANSIT BUS OR SOMETHING, BECAUSE THEN TWO THINGS HAPPEN, WE LOSE THE OFFICER, THE OFFICER CAN'T RESPOND, AND TWO, THAT OFFICER IS MOVING.
SO GOING BACK TO THE FIRST PART OF YOUR QUESTION IS YES, WE'VE IDENTIFIED AREAS WHERE THE CITIZENS AND THE PUBLIC HAVE SAID, CAN YOU HELP? FOR EXAMPLE, RUNDBERG AND LAMAR, THEY'VE HAD TWO SHOOTINGS THERE, UNFORTUNATELY.
ONE WAS A PEACE OFFICER, AND THEN THE SECOND WAS AN INDIVIDUAL WHO GOT INTO SOME TYPE OF DISTURBANCE.
SO WE HAVE A HIGH VISIBILITY PRESENCE THERE AT RUNDBERG AND LAMAR TO THE POINT NOW WHERE THE PEOPLE THERE KNOW ME WHEN I SHOW UP.
AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS, IS THE TRANSIT CENTER AT, UH, TECH RIDGE.
FOR SOME REASON, PEOPLE TEND TO GATHER THERE AROUND FIVE OR 6:00 AM BEFORE THE BUSES TAKE OFF, AND IT MAKES SOME OF THE OPERATORS FEEL, YOU KNOW, UNEASY.
SO WE SEND, WE SEND OFFICERS UP THERE, WE TALK ABOUT WESTGATE, BUT ALSO REPUBLIC SQUARE WILL FOREVER, FOREVER BE ON AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST BECAUSE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE LOCAL BUSINESSES.
WE'RE LOCAL WORKING WITH A PD, AND WE'RE ALSO WORKING WITH OUR OTHER PARTNERS TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO KEEP THAT AREA SAFE.
IT IS A VERY, VERY HIGH ACTIVITY AREA.
AND THEN LAST QUESTION IS, WHAT DO THE NEXT CLASSES OF TRAINING NEW OFFICERS LOOK LIKE? I KNOW AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS A REGULAR CADENCE OF GRADUATIONS AND TRYING TO GET MORE PEOPLE INTO THE FIELD.
WHAT, WHAT DOES THAT TIMELINE LOOK LIKE FOR YOU? WELL, TWO SOURCES FOR US.
ONE, WE EITHER GET VETERAN OFFICERS WHO ARE ALREADY PEACE OFFICERS, OR TWO, WE GO TO THE, UH, LOCAL ACADEMIES IN WHICH YOU MAY FIND INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT SPONSORED BY AN AGENCY AND THAT ARE ABOUT TO GRADUATE, AND THEY'RE LOOKING FOR AN AGENCY.
THOSE ARE RIGHT NOW ARE TWO SOURCES OF GETTING OFFICERS.
NOW, TO ANSWER YOUR SECOND PART OF YOUR QUESTION, WE SHOULD HAVE ABOUT TWO MORE OFFICERS JOINING THE AGENCY LATER THIS MONTH.
ALRIGHT, HARRIS, JUST ONE OTHER
[01:25:01]
THING AND, AND I REALLY DO APPRECIATE THE FACT AND, AND THE SLIDE THAT TALKED ABOUT THE FACT THAT BASICALLY YOU'RE, IT'S A MOVING CITY IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND EVERYTHING ELSE, AND THE FACT THAT WE HAVE A VERY LIMITED NUMBER OF OFFICERS THAT WE HAVE TO ADDRESS THIS.IS THERE ANYTHING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING IN TERMS OF DESIGN AS WE GO THROUGH THESE BUS, OUR BUS STATIONS, OUR, UH, THE, THE, YOU KNOW, OUR TRANSIT CENTERS IN TERMS OF DESIGN THAT COULD HELP Y'ALL BE A FORCE MULTIPLIER? SO IN OTHER, IN OTHER WORDS, SO THAT WE COULD USE TECHNOLOGY OR SOMETHING TO HELP YOU HELP YOUR OFFICERS AND BASICALLY GET OUT IN FRONT OF SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS BEFORE THEY ESCALATE TO THE NEED TO ACTUALLY CALL AN OFFICER? WELL, UH, REMEMBER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, WE HAVE SOMETHING IN PLACE THAT WE'RE GAINING STEAM WITH BECAUSE THE CAP MITCHELL IS CONSTANTLY WORKING ON IT.
NOT ONLY IS IT A FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT, IT'S A FO FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR THAT THREE-PRONG APPROACH THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.
AND IT'S ALSO A FORCE MULTIPLIER FOR THE AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT.
YOU KNOW, AUSTIN POLICE DEPARTMENT, GOD BLESS 'EM, THEY ARE ALWAYS BACKING US UP AND SOMETIMES THEY BEAT US TO A CALL.
SO, TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, THE CONTINUED ENHANCEMENTS OF OUR VIDEO SYSTEM IS OUR FORCE MULTIPLIER.
AND THE LAST PART OF YOUR QUESTION, SIR, UH, MY BOSS, UH, VICE PRESIDENT GARDNER, UH, TOON AND AND CEO WATKINS HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY SUPPORTIVE.
THEY'VE PROVIDED US WITH RESOURCES.
THEY'VE, THEY'VE PROVIDED US WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL.
SORRY, WHAT IS THAT? THE, THE AUTHORIZED FORCE NUMBERS FOR THE CAPITOL METRO POLICE DEPARTMENT? WELL, CAP METRO HAS A STRATEGIC PLAN AND THE STRATEGIC PLAN WRAPS UP IN 2030.
AND IN THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, WE'RE SOMEWHERE A LITTLE BIT, JUST OVER 40 OFFICERS IS THE GOAL, SIR.
AND, AND JUST TO ADD ONTO THAT, SO WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING FOR ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE LISTENING OR SEE THIS ONLINE, UM, WE, WE ARE AT A FORCE OF 15 PATROL OFFICERS TODAY, BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY HIRING.
SO IF THERE, IF, IF, IF YOU'VE GOT A NEIGHBOR THAT YOU KNOW, UM, HAS, HAS BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, IS INTERESTED IN WORKING FOR A DYNAMIC DEPARTMENT, UM, CAP METRO.ORG, CHECK US OUT.
UH, ANY ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? ANY QUESTIONS? HEARING NONE.
WE APPRECIATE, UH, THE INFORMATION THAT YOU BROUGHT FOR US.
[IX.1. President and CEO Monthly Update - March 2026]
UH, LOOKS LIKE, UH, WE HAVE ONE FINAL ITEM TODAY AND THAT'S, AND, UM, LET'S SEE, BEFORE WE GO INTO OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, WE WILL, UH, HAVE OUR CEO GIVE US HER PRESIDENT AND CEO REPORT.UM, A LITTLE BIT TO LEVERAGE, UM, THE PRESENTATION WE JUST HEARD FROM CHIEF BOWIE.
ONE OF THE THINGS, UM, THAT WE HAVE DONE THIS MONTH IS WE ACTUALLY JUST COMPLETED A SERIES OF LISTENING SESSIONS WITH OUR FRONTLINE EMPLOYEES ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY, UM, AT BOTH THIS FACILITY AS WELL AS OUR NORTH OPS FACILITY.
UM, AND, AND CONTINUE TO HEAR AMAZING, JUST TO REITERATE WHAT CHIEF BOWIE SAID, AMAZING FEEDBACK ABOUT, UM, OUR APPROACH AND OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE SUPPORT THAT OUR DRIVERS ARE FEELING.
UM, WE CAN, WE HAVE A, A LONG LIST OF, OF THINGS THAT WE'RE GONNA KEEP TRYING TO WORK ON.
UM, BUT WE'VE BEEN VERY PLEASED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.
UM, WE ALSO HAVE HERE ON THE SCREEN A VARIETY OF PICTURES FROM MARCH 18TH.
MARCH 18TH IS ACTUALLY CELEBRATED NATIONALLY AS TRANSIT EMPLOYEE APPRECIATION DAY.
AND WE TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY, UM, TO HIT THE STREETS AND, AND SAY THANK YOU IN THE FIELD TO OUR STAFF.
UM, OUR SENIOR LEADERSHIP AS WELL AS PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION, UM, HANDED OUT SNACKS TO SHARE OUR GRATITUDE.
WE HAD SOME OF OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF TOOK COOKIES TO THE UNION HALL.
UM, WE WERE AT PARK AND RIDES AND TRANSIT CENTERS.
WE WERE IN THE BREAK ROOMS. UM, REALLY JUST SAYING THANK YOU TO THE MANY, MANY PEOPLE IT TAKES TO, TO MOVE OUR, OUR CITY EVERY DAY.
UM, BUT MARCH 18TH IS NOT THE ONLY DAY OF THE WEEK.
IF YOU SEE A TRANSIT EMPLOYEE, PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU TELL THEM THANK YOU FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
UM, ADDITIONALLY, NEXT UP, UM, IN TERMS OF CAP METRO IN THE COMMUNITY.
CAP METRO RECENTLY HOSTED, UM, BOTH US HOUSE DISTRICT DIRECTORS, UM, FROM THE COUNTRY AND US SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE STAFF FOR TOURS, SHOWCASING OUR LATEST PROJECTS AND FEDERAL INVESTMENTS IN ACTION.
UM, WE HIGHLIGHTED, UM, OUR PARK AND RIDES THAT WE'RE BUILDING AT GOODNIGHT RANCH.
WE LOOKED AT OUR, UM, EV INFRASTRUCTURE, UM, AS WELL AS A VISIT TO PLAZA SALTILLO TO TALK ABOUT TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, AT BOTH WHAT WE'VE DONE THERE AS WELL AS WHAT WE'RE PLANNING IN THE FUTURE.
UM, FROM HOUSING INTEGRATION TO BRT ELECTRIFICATION, THERE WAS GREAT INTEREST FROM OUR FEDERAL PARTNERS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW FEDERAL INVESTMENT IS ACTUALLY GETTING PUT TO WORK IN COMMUNITIES.
AND SO WE WERE VERY EXCITED TO BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE THAT, UM, IN A NUMBER OF WAYS TO THE, THE STAFF DIRECTORS WHO HELP MAKE THINGS, UM, WORK FOR US ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.
[01:30:01]
WE'VE BEEN DOING SOME TESTING.OUR SYSTEM WIDE ACCESSIBILITY TEAM IS ACTIVELY TESTING WAY, FINDING STRATEGIES, UM, AND THROUGH HANDS-ON TESTING, UM, FOR A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT TECHNOLOGIES.
UM, RECENTLY TEAMS, UM, FROM THAT TEAM MET WITH OUR MARKETING FOLKS ALONGSIDE SOME OF OUR ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS, UM, TO HELP US TEST NALIN, WHICH IS A KIND OF FANCY RAINBOW COLORED QR CODE.
I'M SURE IT HAS A BETTER TERM THAN THAT, THAT YOU PUT ON THE BUS STOP.
THAT, THAT YOU CAN THEN HAVE AN APP GIVE YOU BETTER, UM, NAVIGATION, UM, INFORMATION, UM, AS WELL AS WAY MAP, WHICH IS A, A SIMILARLY AN ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY THAT'S ACTUALLY A GPS BASED TECHNOLOGY.
UM, WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF TESTING BOTH OF THESE IN THE REAL ENVIRONMENT, UM, WITH REAL CUSTOMERS AS WE WORK TO IMPROVE OUR WAY FINDING CAPABILITIES, UM, AND LOOK IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO TO REALLY NAIL DOWN WHAT WE THINK MAKES MOST SENSE TO, UM, CONTINUE TO PUSH OUT THROUGHOUT THE SYSTEM.
UM, BUT MANY THANKS TO OUR TEAM FOR, FOR, UM, LEADING THIS EFFORT INTO, UM, OUR CUSTOMERS FOR HELPING US TEST IT BECAUSE THERE'S NOTHING LIKE REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE, UM, TO REALLY GET A SENSE OF HOW THINGS ARE GOING.
UM, NEXT UP, JUST AS I AS YOUR MONTHLY REMINDER OF CAP METRO'S STRATEGIC PLAN WORK, UM, JUST TO REMEMBER THE FOUR CRITICAL, UM, RESULTS THAT WE ARE WORKING TOWARD IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.
RELIABLE AND SECURE SERVICE, INCREASED RIDERSHIP, UM, FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY AND IMPROVING OUR REGIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.
UM, AND THIS MONTH I'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT ARE WHAT WE'RE CALLING OUR PLANNING LED ACTION ITEMS. UM, SO A NUMBER OF THE ITEMS IN OUR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT WE ARE WORKING ON THIS YEAR REALLY ARE BEING LED BY OUR PLANNING DEPARTMENT TO HELP US, UM, IMPLEMENT THE SERVICES THAT WERE APPROVED BY THIS BOARD LAST FALL IN THE TRANSIT PLAN 2035.
Y'ALL TOOK A KEY STEP TODAY IN APPROVING THE JUNE 26TH SERVICE CHANGE.
UM, AND WE HAVE IDENTIFIED KIND OF HOW WE WILL ROLL OUT THAT, UM, TRANSIT PLAN 2035 IMPLEMENTATION OVER THE NEXT COMING YEARS.
UM, WE'RE WORKING A LOT ON PLACEMAKING, UM, SO THAT WAY FINDING AND ACCESSIBILITY THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT, BUT ALSO ORGANIZING ALL OF OUR INTERNAL DATA, UM, AND INFORMATION TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BUS STOP ITSELF, WHICH IS USUALLY THE FIRST IMPRESSION THAT FOLKS HAVE OF OUR SYSTEM, UM, IS A PLACE THAT IS WELCOMING AND HAS GOOD PLACEMAKING AND WAY FINDING INFORMATION.
UM, AS YOU HEARD IN A REPORT LAST MONTH, WE'VE RECENTLY PUT A DASHBOARD ONLINE TO HELP US SHARE WITH THE COMMUNITY OUR BUS STOP AND AMENITY INFORMATION MORE THOROUGHLY.
AND WE'RE WORKING ON A LOT OF THE PROCESSES IN THE BACKEND TO BE ABLE TO STREAMLINE OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT.
UM, WE'RE ALSO PREPARING TO BE OPERATOR OF AUSTIN'S LIGHT RAIL SYSTEM, UM, PARTNERING WITH OUR PARTNERS, OBVIOUSLY WITH AUSTIN TRANSIT PARTNERSHIP IN THE CITY OF AUSTIN.
UM, REALLY AS WE MOVE INTO THIS NEXT PHASE OF DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, MAKING SURE THAT WE'RE PROVIDING THE NECESSARY FEEDBACK, UM, INTO HOW THAT SYSTEM GETS DESIGNED.
UM, AND THEN ALSO WORKING CLOSELY WITH THEM TO UNDERSTAND HOW THAT THE ULTIMATE TRANSIT SYSTEM, BOTH LIGHT RAIL AND BUS TOGETHER WILL WORK TOGETHER BOTH THROUGH CONSTRUCTION AS WELL AS ONCE IT'S OPEN.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, OUR PLANNING TEAM IS LEADING THE EFFORT, UM, FOR US TO CONTINUE TO ENHANCE AND PROMOTE OUR TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, PROGRAM.
SO WE HAVE BEEN UPDATING, UM, OUR TRANSIT, UH, DESIGN GUIDELINES, OUR DEVELOPMENT STANDARDS, REALLY TRYING TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND IF YOU'RE BUILDING SOMETHING ANYWHERE NEAR TRANSIT AND YOU WANNA MAKE IT TRANSIT FRIENDLY, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? UM, AND THEN ALSO WITH SUPPORT FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, FROM THE BUILD AMERICA BUREAU FUNDING, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BE, TO DO SOME, UH, MARKET ANALYSIS, UM, TO FIGURE OUT WHAT IS THE NEXT TRANSIT ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, UM, THAT IS READY FOR INVESTMENT.
UM, SO WE EXPECT IN THE COMING YEAR TO BE ABLE TO LEVERAGE, UM, MANY YEARS OF TOD GRANT MAKING FROM, UM, THE FTA AND NOW THE BUILD AMERICA BUREAU TO HELP US GET OUR NEXT, UM, ACTUAL DEVELOPMENT, UM, WORKING IN THE GROUND.
UM, SO A LOT OF GREAT, UM, STRATEGIC ACTIVITY COMING OUT OF OUR PLANNING TEAM.
UM, NEXT UP LOOKING AT OUR MONTHLY NUMBERS FOR CUSTOMER CARE.
UM, IN THE MONTH OF, UM, FEBRUARY, WE ACTUALLY HAD CALL VOLUMES GO DOWN, WHICH IS MUCH MORE OF A TESTAMENT TO THE HIGH CALL VOLUMES WE TOOK DURING THE MONTH OF JANUARY WHEN WE HAD THE WINTER STORM THAN IT IS TO THE FACT THAT THINGS HAVE HAVE GOTTEN CALM.
I WOULDN'T CALL THEM NECESSARILY CALL 'EM.
UM, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT OF QUESTIONS FROM CUSTOMERS ABOUT THE TAP TO PAY, UM, WHICH WE NOW HAVE AVAILABLE ON ALL OF OUR VEHICLES AND HOW THAT WORKS AND HOW THAT WORKS WITH MY CREDIT CARD OR MY UMO CARD AND HOW DO I USE MY APP AND WHAT DO I, HOW DOES THAT NEED TO WORK FOR ME.
UM, AS WELL AS THE RESIDUAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SERVICE CHANGE WE IMPLEMENTED.
SO, UM, AUSTIN IS A GREAT MONTH FOR EVENTS INCLUDING THE MARATHON, WHICH WAS HELD IN FEBRUARY AND THE LAUNCH OF THE, UM, NEW AUSTIN FC, UM, MLS SEASON, UM,
[01:35:01]
UP AT Q2 STADIUM.SO THAT HAS ALSO HELPED DRIVE CALL VOLUME.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, IN TERMS OF CEO ENGAGEMENT, A FEW THINGS THAT I HAVE BEEN ENGAGED IN.
SO WE ENGAGED INTERNALLY, UM, IN A CRITICAL TABLETOP EXERCISE WITH OUR CHIEF OF POLICE, UM, AND, UM, OUR OWN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS FOLKS TO THINK THROUGH EMERGENCY RESPONSE SCENARIOS SPECIFIC TO HAVING A POLICE DEPARTMENT.
UM, WE HAVE A TOOL IN OUR TOOLBOX THAT WE HAVE NOT HAD AVAILABLE TO US PREVIOUSLY.
SO IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THAT HAS PROMULGATED IT ITSELF THROUGHOUT ALL OF OUR PROCESSES, BUT ALSO THAT AS A LEADERSHIP TEAM, WE ARE PREPARED TO THINK ABOUT HOW THAT CHANGES, HOW WE THINK ABOUT RESPONDING TO EVENTS AND HOW, UM, AN EVENT, EVENT INVOLVING ONE OF OUR OFFICERS NEEDS TO BE HANDLED THROUGHOUT THE ORGANIZATION.
UM, I RECENTLY MET WITH RALLY AUSTIN'S, UM, CEO, UH, THERESA ALVAREZ, UM, TO, TO TALK ABOUT OUR SHARED GOALS.
UM, RALLY AUSTIN HELPS DO, UM, DEVELOPMENT THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, UM, AND WE ALWAYS WANNA MAKE SURE THAT WHAT THEY'RE WORKING ON, UM, INTEGRATES WITH CAP METRO AND OUR OUR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK.
UM, AND THEN AS, UM, PETER MENTIONED WHEN HE PROVIDED THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE REPORTS, UM, I HAVE MET WITH, UM, BOTH THE ACCESS ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND ALSO THE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION ADVISORY COMMITTEE THIS MONTH, REALLY GIVING THEM AN UPDATE ON BIG PICTURE, WHERE WE ARE, WHERE THINGS SIT WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN, UM, GOT A CHANCE TO ANSWER THEIR QUESTIONS.
I ALWAYS LOVE, UM, THE VARIETY OF QUESTIONS THAT YOU GET FROM A, AN A GROUP OF ENGAGED STAKEHOLDERS, UM, BUT MO MORE THAN ANYTHING, THANKING THOSE FOLKS WHO VOLUNTEER THEIR TIME TO HELP INFORM US, UM, AND KEEP THINGS GOING.
UM, AND THEN LASTLY, A COUPLE OF EVENTS THAT HAVE BEEN FUN.
CAP METRO WAS HONORED TO RECEIVE THE MUNIDA AWARD AT TOTOS, PUNTO LEARNING CENTER'S POWER OF LANGUAGE EVENT.
UM, THAT'S THE PICTURE THERE ON THE RIGHT.
UM, WE'RE SO PROUD TO SUPPORT THE LANGUAGES, CULTURES, AND VOICES THAT IT TAKES TO STRENGTHEN CENTRAL TEXAS.
UM, WE WERE ALSO PROUD TO KICK OFF WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH RECENTLY AT THE GIVE GATHER GROW LUNCHEON, UM, HOSTED BY DRESS FOR SUCCESS WORLDWIDE, UM, FOR THE DRESS FOR SUCCESS, UM, AUSTIN CHAPTER.
UM, THIS EVENT BROUGHT TOGETHER INSPIRING WOMEN AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS, UM, COMMITTED TO EMPOWERING WOMEN, UM, AND HOLDING UP WOMEN, UM, AS THEY LOOK TO, UM, ADVANCE THEMSELVES INTO THE WORKFORCE OR, OR CHANGE CHANGING THEIR CAREERS.
UM, AS A PROUD PARTNER, CAT METRO IS PROUD TO PARTNER WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE TOTOS LEARNING CENTER AND DRESS FOR SUCCESS, AUSTIN, TO MAKE SURE, UM, THAT AUSTIN IS THE GREATEST PLACE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE IT BE.
UM, AND THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESIDENT'S REPORT FOR THE MONTH.
DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? DO WE HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? WELL, LET ME JUST ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS YOU MENTIONED, UH, FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO COMMEND YOU FOR, UM, FOR JOINING IN WITH THE WORK OF THE COMMUNITY ADVANCEMENT NETWORK.
UH, A LOT OF COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, A LOT OF DETAILS BEING PROVIDED, UH, CERTAINLY A LOT OF INFORMATION THAT WILL BE USEFUL, UH, TO THE TRANSPORTATION AGENCY.
SO THANK YOU FOR THE HUGE STEP THAT YOU'VE TAKEN TO, TO REACH OUT TO THEM.
ALSO, AS, AS WE, AS WE TALK ABOUT, UM, HOW WE RESPOND TO, UH, TO, UM, TODS, UH, I'VE, IN, WE HAVE IN THE, THE COMMISSIONER'S COURT HAS INSTRUCTED OUR HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, THE TRAVIS COUNTY HOUSING AUTHORITY AND OUR, UH, TRAVIS COUNTY STRATEGIC HOUSING AUTHORITY, UH, TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT THEIR PLANS AND ABOUT, UH, AS, AS THEY DEVELOP ADDITIONAL HOUSING AND AS WE LOOK AT EXISTING HOUSING, HOW ARE WE WORKING TOGETHER? DOES THE LEFT HAND KNOW WHAT THE RIGHT HAND'S DOING? SO HOPEFULLY, UH, THAT WILL RENDER, UH, SOME GOOD INFORMATION FOR YOU.
AND THEN, UM, AS IT RELATES TO, UM, TO MATERIAL AFTER EVERY MAJOR STORM, UH, WE DO AFTER ACTION REPORTS AT THE COUNTY.
SO I WANNA MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THE AFTER ACTION REPORTS IN YOUR HAND IF YOU WANT TO CREATE SCENARIOS OR IDENTIFY WHAT WAS ON THE GROUND AT THE LAST STORM AT THE LAST MEETING.
UH, SO NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS.
UH, WELL THEN IF, IF, UH, IF THERE ARE NO ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, UH,
[X. Executive Session under Chapter 551 of the Texas Government Code]
WE, UM, BOARD IS GONNA GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.NOW, FOLLOWING THAT SESSION, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY ACTION POSTED EXCEPT FOR ADJOURNMENT.
SO, UH, YOU WON'T HAVE TO WAIT FOR US UNLESS YOU, UNLESS YOU WANT TO.
AND, UH, SO NOW THE BOARD WILL GO INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION WITH A QUORUM PRESENT UNDER SECTION 5 5 1 0.071 FOR CONSULTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY REGARDING LEGAL ISSUES RELATED TO A CONTRACT WITH OLAS TRANSIT SERVICES, LLC FOR CONTRACTED BUS OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES, UH, WHICH INCLUDES EMPLOYMENT OF LABOR, RIGHT? SO THE TIME IS NOW 1 45.
UH, WE WILL, UH, WE WILL START IN OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION, BUT, UH, BUT WE WILL PAUSE OUR
[01:40:01]
CURRENT SESSION.I'LL CALL THE, UM, SESSION BACK IN AT TWO 40.
UH, WE HAVE, UH, JUST COME FROM AN EXECUTIVE SESSION, UH, WITH THE QUORUM PRESENT AND, UH, WE ARE GONNA TAKE NO FURTHER ACTION ON THE INFORMATION THAT WAS GIVEN.
UH, SO, UH, I WILL, I WILL ADJOURN THE REGULAR MEETING AT TWO 40.