The Federal Advocacy Program is a set of initiatives and proposed funding championed by County Connection, in step with the values and goals of providing equitable and accessible public transportation for all. Each year, leadership from County Connection and regional elected officials travel to Washington D.C. to advocate for the needs of our agency and the financial support needed to carry out operations within Central Contra Costa County. All planning is reviewed by our Board of Directors.
For 2025, we have prioritized the following points:
- Restore the Federal Highway & Mass Transit Fund
With the Federal Highway and Mass Transit Accounts nearly broke, more and more of the federal transit program is at risk of not being funded. We urge that a permanent fix to this problem be found. Without financial stabilization for these accounts, many County Connection projects will be at risk. - Enact APTA’s Recommendations on Mobility & Innovation
The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) have adopted a set of recommendations for federal enactment to promote and support innovative mobility solutions to increase the ability of all sorts of people to use public transportation throughout their everyday lives. These innovations in mobility must serve to improve and enhance traditional public transportation, not replace it. These innovations should also promote and provide opportunities to prepare the next generation of public transportation workers through work force development programs.
Many areas such as the one County Connection serves need to greatly improve their public transportation options to attack the housing crisis, climate change, equity, and aging population. However, historical growth patterns in these areas make traditional public challenging to provide. Thus, innovative mobility solutions are needed. They will also make established transit in these areas more effective and increase ridership. Public transit agencies like County Connection are well positioned to deliver these innovative solutions along with their traditional fixed route services in an integrated and coordinated manner, if allowed to and supported by federal policy. - Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
County Connection depends on crucial federal funding to sustain essential programs like vehicle replacement, ADA paratransit, and lifeline services. With the IIJA set to expire in 2026, County Connection strongly advocates for a new surface transportation authorization that closely mirrors existing IIJA in both formula and discretionary funding levels, ensuring a robust funding platform that will support public transit. - Community Project Funding for an Energy Efficient Storage System
This project focuses on establishing essential infrastructure for energy storage, which will not only facilitate the transition to more efficient-running buses but also generate a significant cost savings. By enhancing the resilience of County Connection’s infrastructure, we will provide a reliable backup power source for our fleet and create more local jobs in the future.
Planning for the future of public transit
Fixed Route Onboard Survey 2023
In the fall of 2023, surveyors collected a total of 872 responses, including 625 responses on weekday routes, or about 8% of average weekday ridership, and 138 responses on weekend routes, or about 7% of average weekend ridership. A smaller sample of 109 surveys was collected for 600-series school routes. However, obtaining reliable survey results on school routes has always been a challenge, and responses were heavily skewed towards a handful of routes. Thus, the following results exclude responses from 600-series routes.
OPERATING AND CAPITAL BUDGET FY25
The FY 2025 Budget authorized $54.7 million in operations expenses for fixed route and paratransit services, along with $10 million in capital expenditures, with revenues to offset these costs.
ONE-SEAT REGIONAL RIDE PROGRAM
The One-Seat Regional Ride Program aims to streamline current regional ride practices by eliminating required transfers for trips that cross multiple transit service areas. With the new program, passengers can have one-seat for the entire duration of their trip. Participating in the service is Eastern Contra Costa Transit Authority, operators of Tri Delta Transit, Western Contra Costa Transit Authority, operators of WestCAT, and Livermore-Amador Valley Transit Authority, operators of Wheels Bus.
TITLE VI PROGRAM REPORT
As a federal grant recipient, County Connection is required to maintain and provide to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) information on its compliance with the Title VI regulations. County Connection must perform a self-assessment every three years and to document that services and benefits are provided in a non-discriminatory manner.