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Terry Applegate, Silicon Valley Independent Living Center, expressed concern regarding proposed cuts in door-to-door service and increased fares to paratransit and fixed routes.

Lupe Medrano, DeAnza Disabled Students Club, expressed concern regarding service cuts to the elderly and persons with handicaps.

Mr. Buhrer stated that recommendations of the Financial Stability Ad Hoc Committee and the findings of the Business Review Team (BRT) were that VTA should increase its fare box recovery ratio. The consultants felt that 30 percent would not be an appropriate target for this agency, but that a more appropriate target may be 20 to 25 percent.

Mr. Buhrer noted that fare box recovery ratio is a very important policy issue to be dealt with by the Board of Directors. The fare box recovery ratio is a measure that assesses how much of the operation and maintenance costs are paid by the users of the system versus the percentage of costs paid by tax payers.

Mr. Buhrer stated that a comparison of VTAs fare structure as compared to other agencies found that the adult cash fare was in line with other transit agencies. The percentage of cash discounts afforded to youth, senior and disabled persons were greater than those of comparable agencies. The monthly pass pricing was priced at a level below other agencies. The goal of staff relative to fare proposals was to bring VTAs discounts and monthly pass multiples into alignment with those of comparable transit agencies.

The recommended fare proposal was presented to the Board of Directors at the March 21, 2003 Workshop including the senior and disabled person cash fare at $.75; the adult cash fare at $1.50; the senior and disabled person day-pass at $2.25 and the monthly pass at $22.50. The Board of Directors requested that staff re-analyze the revenue and ridership impacts that would be estimated with revised pricing of the day pass at $1.75 and the monthly pass at $17.50. The Board of Directors also requested that staff look at options to restore the amount of the anticipated revenue lost from that reduced pricing. Mr. Buhrer reported that the revised staff proposal includes the day pass at $2 and the monthly pass at $20.

Mr. Buhrer stated that the Board of Directors will have to face very difficult choices between increasing prices, decreasing services and attempting to find new sources of funds (finding new taxes).

Mr. Buhrer noted a nine percent service reduction that will go into effect next week and further noted that the budget to be discussed at the April 25, 2003 Workshop will include an assumption of another 20+ percent service reduction in October 2003.

Member Slack inquired regarding the concept of a tax on wages. Mr. Buhrer responded that a payroll tax is a viable source of funding and stated that the Ad Hoc Committee looked at the payroll tax for illustrative purposes. The business community has come out against a payroll tax indicating that it would lead to further job losses.

Member Grant queried whether the Eco Pass Program is free to all County employees and if not, queried what the charge is to County employees. Mr. Buhrer responded that the County pays for Eco Passes and stated that he will provide the Committee with the rate. Mr. Buhrer reported that the Eco Pass pricing is proposed to be increased 30 percent for corporations and increased from $11.50 to $20 per semester for San Jose State University.

Chairperson Tamez expressed concern that the paratransit component is being removed from the Eco Pass option at San Jose State University and residential facilities and expressed further concern that VTA may be offering a program that is not equitable.

M/S/C (Tamez/Julian) on a vote of 18 ayes to 0 noes to 1 abstention to recommend to the Board of Directors that VTA not offer the Eco Pass Program to San Jose State University and residential facilities without offering the paratransit component and review the cost of that program to see if it is a viable program. Member Liebetrau abstained.

Currently, the minimum account balance policy allows customers to continue to schedule rides for 45 days after reaching a negative account balance of $15. In order to simplify the process and reduce the amount of debt carried annually, staff proposes to change the policy to disallow customers from scheduling additional trips once a negative account balance of $15 has been reached and discontinue providing any trips 14 days beyond that date. Scheduled trips as of the date that the negative account balance of $15 has been reached will be provided but revisions or additional trips scheduled during the 14-day time period will not be allowed.

Member Gallo queried whether advance notice would be given that a customer is about to reach a zero balance. Mr. Tacké responded that when a customer calls to schedule a trip, he or she would be provided an update of his or her balance

Member Gouveia queried whether there would be a trial period for the new proposal. Mr. Tacké responded that advance notice and reminders will be provided and persons impacted will be targeted. Mr. Tacké noted that VTA would retain the right to write off bad debt on a one-time basis.

Member HammCiric proposed that a billing process would be more viable

M/S/C (Julian/Gouveia) to accept the modified minimum account balance

Mr. Tacké reported that one of the criteria that a paratransit service needs to meet, according to the ADA, is to provide paratransit service within a ¾ mile corridor of bus and light rail services

Mr. Tacké reported further that when bus or light rail service ends for the day in a particular location, paratransit service is no longer required for that location.

Mr. Tacké stated that customers who reside outside of the service area, or those who travel outside of the service will be approved for paratransit service area, but will not be allowed to take trips that begin or end outside of the ADA-defined service area. It is estimated that implementation of an ADA-defined service area would reduce demand for service by approximately 40,000 trips annually for a potential savings of approximately $960,000 annually.

Member Michels noted that Santa Clara County is huge and requested a restructuring of the service area because of the size of the County.

Member Rhodes stated that she had to leave the meeting but noted that she is against curb-to-curb service.

Member Morrow stated his opposition to curb-to-curb service for the disabled population.

Mr. Tacké noted that input from CTA and public hearings will be forwarded to the Board standing committees on May 15, 2003, and presented to the Board of Directors on June 5, 2003, as part of next years budget package.

M/S/F (Gouveia/Otis) to accept modifying the minimum account balance and to send implementing the ADA service area and implementation of curb-to-curb service back to the drawing board as unacceptable.

Member Slack stated that at a meeting at the Blind Center today, 1/3 of the 60 persons in attendance reported that they would be unable to use OUTREACH if the curb-to-curb service is implemented. Member Slack provided a petition signed by 55 to 60 persons from the Blind Center objecting to the curb-to-curb service proposal, which he is presenting to the Board Secretary and to the Board of Directors at its Workshop on April 25, 2003.

M/S/C (Stahl/Slack) that the Committee for Transit Accessibility does not endorse the VTA proposal for curb-to-curb service and recommends that this change not be implemented.

Mr. Tacké reported that most of the suggested changes that came from CTA at the last discussion of the Paratransit Pre-Screening Brochure have been made. The brochure is ready to be forwarded to the VTA’s Marketing Department.

Steven Fisher, Senior Transportation Planner, reported that construction on the stations from Japantown to Tasman is well underway. As stations are under construction they are closed and bus bridges are in place. All stations will be completed by August 2003.

Mr. Fisher noted that due to the budget situation, VTA would not proceed with the downtown portion of the Project with the stations on the South Line of Guadalupe.

Mr. Fisher reported that customers would be able to use the light rail system using the lift when the current fleet of old cars are running. When the new cars are introduced, wooden boarding platforms will allow access to the front door of the front car. All platforms will not be raised to 14 inches until the budget situation is understood.