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CALLED TO ORDER at 10:35 a.m.

ROLL CALL: 

Members Present:  Chavez, Dixon, McLemore, Springer

Members Absent:    Alvarado

A quorum was present.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

There were no Public Presentations.

ORDERS OF THE DAY

There were no Orders of the Day.

CONSENT AGENDA

REGULAR AGENDA

Approved submitting a recommendation to the Board of Directors to adopt policies, project selection, and programming criteria for the Valley Transportation Plan 2020 (VTP 2020) Sound Barrier Program.

Staff reported that a request for consideration of safety and security issues was made regarding soundwalls on the freeway or expressway. Staff awarded up to 15 points if in addition to having a noise problem, it can also be shown that there is a trespassing problem on freeways or expressways right-of-way.

Staff reported a request that soundwall requests in areas where roadway or transit projects are already planned should be ineligible. Staff reported a further request to encourage designers of soundwalls to use some creativity, "whimsy".

Commented that one of the Measure B Projects in Gilroy is a soundwall off of the freeway and noted that the area is a potential graffiti target.

OTHER ITEMS

Discussed a Fare Policy addressing both recovery ratio and pricing/structure goals for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.

Member Dixon took her seat at 10:40 a.m.

Staff provided a report regarding recommendations made by the 2002 Business Review Team and VTA Board of Directorsâ Ad-Hoc Financial Stability Committee that VTA should increase its farebox recovery ratio.

Staff emphasized that in order to make the types of improvements necessary to get to the Board of Directorsâ goal of 20 to 25 percent it is necessary to work on average fare per boarding, boarding per hour of service, and cost per hour of service.

Staff discussed fare structure issues including: 1) the base fare shall be the adult cash fare, 2) senior and disabled riders should receive a 50 percent discount which is driven by Federal law, 3) a 25 percent discount from the adult cash fare for youth, 4) relationship between the day pass price and the monthly pass, and 5) Eco Pass should achieve the same average fare per boarding as the adult fare category.

Staff stated that the goal of the Eco Pass concept is to try to get more people to utilize public transportation by making it more convenient for them to use public transportation.

Queried regarding the procedure used to determine how many people use the system.

Staff stated that VTA provides statistically reliable methods of acquiring data to the Federal Government for the National Transit Database.

Staff stated that the Fare Policy is being put out for information at this time. It will go through all of the Advisory Committees for comments, brought back in November for action by the Administration and Finance Committee and then to the Board of Directors for consideration in December.

Suggested that fares for youth riders be discounted by 20 percent rather than 25 percent of the adult fare.

Agreed with the alternative to establish $0.25 as the minimum increment for all fares except for the Senior and Disabled single ride fare, for which the minimum increment would be $0.10. Agreed that a premium fare equal to two times the base fare shall be charged for Express Bus Services.

The Agenda was taken out of order.

Monthly Legislative Reports: Heard a report regarding: 1) five-month extension for the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) and 2) most of the appropriations bills have not been finished by Congress, including transportation.

Discussed the Service Management Plan.

Staff provided a slide presentation and a draft Service Management Plan in response to the Ad-Hoc Financial Stability Committeeâs recommendation that staff review, codify, and update guidelines and policies in light of VTAâs current financial situation. The recommendation further suggested that standards should address minimum acceptable measures for productivity by route and service type to improve system efficiency.

Staff stated that the Service Management Plan formalizes the methods and procedures used to design, develop, evaluate and modify existing service and also provides tools to measure the existing system, changes to the existing system, and designing and implementing services.

Determined Consent Agenda for the November 6, 2003, Board of Directorâs Meeting.

CONSENT: Agenda Item #6., Adopt Policies, Project Selection and Programming Criteria for the Valley Transportation Plan 2020 (VTP 2020) Sound Barrier Program.

REGULAR: None