Category: Uncategorized

Springtime Activities Abound

Late winter and early spring are always busy times around the County Connection bus yard. Our spring schedule for the fixed route system is implemented usually sometime in March. In February and March legislative proposals that will impact public transit are often in full play at both the state and federal levels. We are also in the thick of budget season as staff puts together the budget for the next fiscal year, which begins in July.

This year, we have the added tasks of setting up and conducting temporary detours largely due to road damage caused by the heavy rains this winter. This often involves working with a local jurisdiction as they make emergency pothole repairs. These will come up unexpectedly and require a quick coordinated response, as well as regular follow through. There are also the more significant, but less frequent, issues that pop up such as large sinkholes. These are longer term events and require a longer term commitment to an appropriate detour.

In addition, we also continue to experience a very strong job market in Contra Costa County. While this is great news, it means we are constantly in recruitment mode to ensure full staffing. This comes at a time when we are in the middle of a mini retirement wave. County Connection has been blessed with a well-experienced and veteran workforce. Lots of these folks were hired in the late 1980s, so now many of them have begun to retire after years of excellent service. So, in the midst of a hot job market, we find ourselves working hard to find suitable replacements.

It has also been a very active period in terms of various potential initiatives on transportation. A number of unrelated interests are nearly simultaneously pursuing or examining ways of making improvements to the transportation system. As such, we are expected to (or have an interest to) participate in these various efforts. County Connection continues to view itself as an important piece of the transportation network in Contra Costa County. Thus, to maintain that place, we are fully engaged in these assorted efforts.

As you can see, springtime is indeed a busy time at the bus yard. However, we thrive on being busy and active. This is where we want to be as an organization. Public agency inertia inherently leads to poor public service. Good public service needs to be supported by active, engaged, and energized people dedicated to performing such service.

What Happens Now?

No matter what proposition or which candidate you may have voted for, I think many will agree if nothing else, it has been an interesting election season. As the General Manager of County Connection, I am often asked these days: What will the election possibly mean for public transit? The short answer is: We really don’t know, yet.

Overall, for transit the election is a mixed bag. In the Bay Area, BART’s Measure RR passed with over 71% of the vote in favor. This means BART will be able to raise much of the funding it will need to rehab its aging system. Users of BART will benefit greatly from this. Locally, Santa Clara County passed a sales tax measure that will support both roadway improvements, as well as transit improvements. AC Transit was able to renew an existing parcel tax that has long supported popular bus routes throughout the inner East Bay. However, for us here in Contra Costa County, our Measure X just barely failed to gain the necessary two-thirds vote needed to pass. Thus, the projects and programs for all modes of transportation that the measure would have supported are going to be delayed in many cases.

At the state level, there were no transportation measures among the many state propositions on this year’s ballot. Moreover, the state legislature will look very much like the last state legislature. So, I do not anticipate any major changes in state transportation policy approaches in the next two-year session.

We could, however, see further legislation regarding transportation technology developments. Activity towards autonomous vehicles is picking up in California and the legislature may want to start doing what is reasonable to support that. Also, it would not be a surprise to see the legislature work to solidify and shore up the state cap and trade programs. These programs have the potential to provide significant assistance to public transportation programs. On a less than positive note, given that the new legislature looks similar to last one, I do not anticipate that we will see a large transportation funding package emerge from it. This remains a heavy lift – particularly the debate on how to pay for such a package.

Finally, we arrive at the federal level. This is going to be interesting to watch and perhaps hard to predict. First off, a current federal transportation authorization was just enacted late last year. Thus, we have nearly four years of authorization left. So, on one hand, very little needs to happen, if only to maintain the status quo for now. However, while we have four more years of federal transportation authorization, the main funding source of that authorization, the Highway Trust Fund, is projected to go broke within two years or so. If that holds true, the new congress and President will have to come to an agreement about how to tackle this funding shortfall.

So far, it is looking like it could be an interesting set of debates. President Elect Trump has talked in broad terms of a 10-year trillion-dollar infrastructure package. What portion – if any – of this would be marked for public transit is not known. However, both congressional leaders (Senator McConnell, and Speaker Ryan) have not yet warmed to the idea of making infrastructure a funding priority. Any of this will likely run up against deficit reduction talks in Washington.

So, as you can see, much remains at stake for public transit after this election. It will likely be months, if not years, before we learn how the 2016 election ultimately affects public transit.