CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS PUBLIC HEARING 2910 East Fifth Street Austin, TX 78702

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1 CAPITAL METROPOLITAN TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY BOARD OF DIRECTORS PUBLIC HEARING 2910 East Fifth Street Austin, TX ~ MINUTES ~ Executive Assistant/Board Liaison Gina Estrada Monday, September 16, :00 PM Capital Metro Board Room I. Presentations: A. Proposed Spring 2014 Service Changes Roberto Gonzalez, Principal Planner, presented the Proposed FY 2014 Spring Service Changes. The changes included the following; MetroRapid Downtown Other minor changes UT Shuttle There were several speakers and the discussion included: Gretchen Kasty is against changing the shuttle route. Right now it is right across the street from the apartment. Eliminating the shuttle service in her area and changing it to the route #7 that includes her apartment complex is a hardship. The apartment complex is more affordable and that was the reason for her moving into the complex instead of living closer to the UT campus. With the route being eliminated she would have to walk several more blocks or get a car, in which she would then have to pay parking fees. The shuttles give us a better way of life. Gregg Hallestad is against elimination of the Cameron Road route. It will be almost a mile of extra travel for him. Cameron Road is an isolated area with the lowest ridership but a thousand riders is a lot of riders to misplace by eliminating the route. Mr. Hallestad appreciates Capital Metro waiting until the school year ends before making the change. Will McLeod, opposes the change in the Wickersham Lane route. It is like a walk of a football field to get to the bus. Most individual have to walk up steep hills to get to the new proposed route. The Wickersham Lane and Cameron Road routes serve the low income community. Alternatives have not been explored. If you cut one, then there should be cuts for all. Think of alternatives by changing the frequencies, use shorter buses for the UT shuttles. Improving rail and doing nothing to improve the buses is not right. Brent Covele stated that he holds UT accountable; however, he appreciates the Board and Capital Metro for giving extensions to this process until the end of the school year. Mr. Covele suggested cutting on the Forty Acres and West Campus routes. He believes the data, if people can afford to live on the Forty Acres circular they are probably able to walk to campus. Mr. Covele is requesting just one bus and one bus driver, no matter Board of Directors Page 1 Printed 2/10/2014

2 how long, to continue to serve the CR area. It takes 15 minutes to get to the closest #7 bus stop and 25 minutes drive down to the campus compared to the Forty Acres and West campus can get anywhere within 10 minutes. Also to get to route #7, there is broken glass on the sidewalks and he has been chased by dogs and police activity there on St Johns Avenue. Theresa Topete is against eliminating the route to Wickersham Lane. There are safety concerns. She has taken Route #20. It is a greater walk to the Route #20 whereas the Wickersham shuttle is right outside her door. To take the main line bus route at 9:00 p.m. from class is frightening when using Route #20. There is no bench or anything there at the stop. The shuttles are needed. Ms. Topete lived on the Forty Acres last year; however, the shuttles run all the time even though you are 10 minutes away from the campus. The West campus should have some cuts; it is laziness because the students live very close to campus. The E bus stops right outside of her door, but she does not understand why it is more important to get to the bars downtown instead of getting to class. Ty Barnett, Leasing agent for McKenzie Point Complex, is against his residents having to walk 6 blocks to catch a different route - he considers this a hardship. But riders within 10 minutes of campus get more routes. Mr. Barnett had survey individuals in the McKenzie Point Complex and got 41% participation, it affects his livelihood and business. James West mentioned that the elimination of the bus route would cause a hardship on him. He saved up enough to attend UT for 3 years. The walk to the alternate route is all uphill. Mr. West plans and works within his budget. If he has to drive, it would cost him about $ to park a vehicle at UT, plus gas. This is outside of his budget. Mr. West noted that the bus is packed many times during peak times. Sometimes there are no seats available. Mr. West is in favor of reduced frequencies as an acceptable change. Lee Hill, stated that in Service Plan 2020, cutting frequencies for stops along the proposed MetroRapid routes, riders would see two Route 801 vehicles pass by prior to a local bus coming one time. The 1L and 1M should be enhanced on Sundays and at mid-day. Have a 30 minute frequency, and minutes during rush hours. He is concerned that we are trying to drive people onto the higher priced MetroRapid service and that the lower-priced routes will become overcrowded. Emily Nowicki, a grad student, is concerned over cuts to the CR route, as there is a 15 minute walk plus 30 minute ride along with safety issues for the alternate route. Plus the route is uncomfortable. She noted that many vision impaired customers use this route also. Ms. Nowicki suggested that the midday routes be cut and frequencies reduced to find the money to continue the service. Valerie Martinez, a research student, has walked everywhere and she considers 2 miles nothing. Ms. Martinez chose McKenzie Point Complex because it is affordable and the staff is friendly. The area, community itself is somewhat frightening. The apartment building is good, but the community is unsafe, not the best place to be walking to alternate routes. She would like to see more and better data before any cuts are made. Board Secretary Frank Fernandez noted that there is another public hearing on this Board of Directors Page 2 Printed 2/10/2014

3 issue scheduled for Monday, September 23, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. or use the websites to give input regarding the Proposed Spring 2014 Service Change. B. Proposed New Fare Policies/Structrue Donna Simmons, Vice President Administration & Risk Management Compliance Officer, gave an overview of the Proposed New Fare Policies/Structure. The following citizens commented on the proposals: Carlos Aleman is against the fare increase. It is unfair and unnecessary. The rate of increase is extraordinary. It hits the persons that have to use MetroAccess too hard. Capital Metro has been around 1980s, but since 2006 fares have gone up 500%. Most of them are on fixed income and have no other options. We do not have to be like Houston or Dallas, San Antonio. It did not matter about the other cities, it has never mattered what other cities have done. Please do not hit the citizens that need it the most, services continue to be cut, do not increase fares at this time. Robin Orlowski says is seems as if you are hitting the disabled community the hardest. The fare brochure is unclear, in particular it does not highlight that the reduced-fare day pass is going away. Our transit system is under Title VI Civil Rights Act, you cannot differentiate citizens with disabilities. It is a bad idea to compare Austin with Houston. Please reconsider your actions. We have fancy trash cans, but they are not needed. The 2020 plan talks about high disabled community in the Austin area, but you are not helping the community by raising fares like this. Sue Gabriel, Austin is one of the most expensive cities in the country. Incomes have not kept up with inflation. Many of the riders are low income, fixed income and homeless. Most Austin citizens are being forced out of their homes. Because Cap Metro is a part of the city and gets federal funds, wastefully spending should be cut; including getting surveys completed by a company in Houston. You are not doing anything to help the citizens live more comfortably. Joseph Thornton says he is OK with the fare increase. Mr. Thornton s interest was in getting credit for premium fares. Mr. Thornton lives in the Barton Hills community and now he has to walk the minutes to his new bus route and therefore, he sympathizes with the riders that will have change in the near future and will have to walk father to the bus stops. Sandy Seekamp is against the fare increase. Most of the citizens are on fixed income and most of that income is spent on medicine. This increase of fares for MetroAccess will be an 800% increase over 10 years. You cannot be a nice healthy person to be on this service -- you must be disabled or have a serious problem. We cannot even think about having a regular life, going to church, going to see grandchildren, but just go to the doctor, pay your rent and go home that's all. People in wheelchairs cannot just ask a friend to come and pick them up, so we are totally dependent on this service. You are asking the other citizens fare to be increased by only 50 cents, it is not right. No one has had an 800% increase in their salary. Andrew McKenna, had to borrow a car to get to this hearing. Mr. McKenna works for a nonprofit. He has seen less service, no bus schedule on the bus that he is riding. He Board of Directors Page 3 Printed 2/10/2014

4 went to an open house earlier in the year but you could not give input as we are today. There should not be a limit of 10 speakers. To increase fares is not the way to increase ridership. Lee Hill, stated that when goals are set, look at revenue 1/2 cent that Corpus and San Antonio receive for their transit service. You have not compared Capital Metro's use of resources at a full cent per $1 and that is not good -- we should not have to make up the same difference in fare because Capital Metro receives a higher subsidy. Mr. Hill would like to be able to buy the premium day pass on a local service, so he will not have to buy passes or pay fares twice. This will save time and it would be easier for the bus to stay on time. David Patterson says the budget should be a partnership with the City of Austin. His Night Owl service was recently more than 30 minutes late, so Mr. Patterson called 311. Finally the 311 called a Capital Metro supervisor, and the supervisor said that all night owls were running on time. It is not good to penalize citizens on the service changes. Would like to see premium fares delayed until next year. Will McLeod, talked about getting rid of the day passes, everyone does not have a telephone or a computer. He is unhappy that only half the board could be in attendance for this hearing, and addressed Nancy Edmondson even though she was not present. C. Proposed FY2014 Operating and Capital Budget Frank Ordaz, Director of Financial Planning, gave the overview for the FY2014 Operating and Capital Budget. The following citizens had comments on the proposed budget: Gilbert Rodriguez, spoke about a contract for consulting on sales tax that was awarded to a firm out of California, he feels unfairly. During the evaluation process, the Texas firm that came in second place to interpret Texas Sales Taxes was a DBE certified firm with a Hispanic female as owner with 29 years of business interpreting Texas sales taxes. Even though your RFP process encourages HUB businesses to apply, with all things being equal and with the Texas firm bidding 20% less than the California firm, the Texas firm should have been awarded this contract. Cliff Bodenhafer uses the Capital Metro services daily. Most of the Capital Metro riders cannot afford a car, nor can they afford insurance. Everything is increase, increase, increase. Capital Metro continues to bump individuals off of the MetroAccess system. Stop wasting money on outside spending, use in-house people to do surveys and studies. You have deleted trips and services but you want to increase the fares. Many drivers cut right in front of the bus operators; it is amazing that there are not more bus accidents. But the reason is that you have some good people here at Capital Metro. Board Secretary Frank Fernandez thanked the citizens for coming out and reminded them that they may take other opportunities to voice their opinions to the Board. Board of Directors Page 4 Printed 2/10/2014

5 II. Adjournment ADA Compliance Reasonable modifications and equal access to communications are provided upon request. Please call (512) or if you need more information. BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Mayor Pro Tem Mike Martinez, chairperson; John Langmore, vice chair, Frank Fernandez, board secretary; Council Member Chris Riley; Council Member David Siebold; Beverly S. Silas; Ann M. Stafford and Norm Chafetz. Board Liaison: Gina Estrada (512) , if you need more information. The Board of Directors may go into closed session under the Texas Open Meetings Act. In accordance with Texas Government Code, Section , consultation with attorney for any legal issues, under Section for real property issues; under Section for personnel matters, or under Section , for deliberation regarding the deployment or implementation of security personnel or devices; arising regarding any item listed on this agenda. September 16, 2013 Gloria E. Barnes Support Specialist II Board/Legal Board of Directors Page 5 Printed 2/10/2014