Good morning everyone. I'm Doug Chaffee, your Vice Chairman, and in the absence of Chairman
McCowlin, I'll be running the meeting this morning. So the meeting is officially called
to order, and I ask Frank Castellan, our Chief Safety and Security Compliance Officer, if
you would please give us a safety briefing. Good morning Vice Chair Chaffee, Board members.
As a reminder for your safety briefing, in the event of a fire alarm activation, we are
going to exit the building in an orderly fashion, go down the stairs, and we will stage in front
the Metro customer service until we're given the all clear to come back in the
building. In the event of an earthquake, I'll ask you to drop, take cover, and once
the shaking stops, do an assessment to see if an evacuation is necessary. The
event of a medical situation or first aid is required, I'll be your provider.
I'll ask Miss Payne to contact Building Security and Alert EMS. And obviously if
you're in a public space, we always keep awareness of your environment and
Consider a run-hide fight an event an active attack or situation and also
Again, we're gonna get some wet weather this weekend
So be aware of the hazards that are gonna be introduced as we get some more rain in the local area
And that concludes your safety briefing for this morning
At this point, we're going to have our pledge of allegiance to ask director Marquez. Are you please lead us?
Madam clerk, so it may establish a quorum. Would you please call the wall?
certainly
I'm going to scoot everyone down one.
Second Vice Chair Burksen, Director Spiegel,
Director Middleton, Director Vargas,
Director Tremblay, Director Chavez,
Director Barger, Director Corcoran,
Director Najarian, Director Solis,
Director Hughes-Leslie, Director O'Connor,
Director Allen, Director Presiado,
Director Wapner, sorry, Chair McAllen, not here.
Director Wapner.
Director Dutray.
Here.
Director Marquez.
Here.
Director Nguyen.
Here.
Director Murphy.
Vice-Chair Chafee.
Present.
We do have a quorum.
At this point, we come to public comment.
Madam Secretary, do we have any public commenters
at this time?
I do have a written public comment to read.
Please call the speaker.
I'm going to read this into the record.
It's an email that I received.
Oh, OK.
From John Perez.
Good evening, MetroLink board of directors.
To start out, I commute from Norwalk slash Santa Fe Springs
to Century City and sometimes Westwood.
I take the MetroLink train to Union Station
and then hop on a commuter express bus to the west side.
The purpose of this email is to say that you are not
a dependable service.
I have filed numerous complaints
because your OC and 91 Paris Valley operations
are repeatedly late during the morning commute.
Well, this morning takes the cake.
The OC 601 train did not arrive at 609,
and then the 91 Paris Valley 701 train,
which is a backup, arrived well after 619 a.m.
As a result, we arrived to Union Station at 653 a.m.
My commuter express bus departs from Union Station at 650 a.m.
Not only did I miss my connecting bus, I missed my back up, the 657 AM purple line train connecting with the Metro Rapid 720.
This is despite being at the Metrolink station at 6 AM.
What made the situation even worse is that the train operators, onboard attendants, and customer service reps couldn't care any less that we were delayed.
No sincere apology or concern for the passengers.
I am writing to the Metrolink board of directors because these repeated delays need to end.
Regards John Perez metro link writer
Thank you
At this point we're going on to our regular calendar
The first item is approval or minutes of October 27th. Are there any corrections additions changes?
Seeing none may have a motion for approval
The second moved in second any objection motion carries unanimously
we come next to our
regular calendar item which is a
continuing resolution for the
Fiscal Year arrow service funding which presented by Christine Wilson our senior manager of finance
Please go ahead. Good morning
chairman and members of the board
I'm presenting number 6b which is a third continuing resolution for arrow service in lieu of the
FY24 Aeroservice Operating Budget.
This is an item requiring action.
Next slide.
As this slide depicts, a continuing resolution
was passed by the SCRRA board on June 23rd, 2023,
to fund the FY24 Expenses for Aeroservice.
A second continuing resolution was approved
and added to the original amount on October 27th, 2023.
SBCTA is now requesting a third addition to the continuing resolution, bringing the total
funding for Arrow Service to $15 million.
Staff recommends that the board approve the third continuing resolution, which is in the
amount of $7,247,746.
SBCTA is taking this resolution to their board of directors on December 6, 2023.
That concludes my report may I answer any questions?
Thank you.
Any questions of board members?
Seeing none, may I have a motion to approve?
I'll make a motion to approve.
I do have a question, but.
I want you to go ahead and ask your question.
Just I know there is an audit that we're waiting for completion of the audit.
Is that last fiscal year audit?
I beg your pardon?
I believe what's happening here is the reason we're going to have continuation is we're
SBCTA and maybe your staff is also waiting for a completion of the audit for
the school 23 audit and then based on the audit better picture can be done for
the actual budget for this current fiscal year for aro I believe that's
probably some element of this yes okay I have a second within seconded any
objection seeing none motion carries unanimously now let's go on to our
meeting dates for the calendar year 2024 they've been given to each of you I
assume that they're flexible if we have an issue with it any comments request
for changes seeing none may have a motion to approve mr. chair if I could
very briefly chair McCallan did have a request that I make one request of the
board in his absence the November schedule again because of the Veterans
holiday Veterans Day observe will land on a Monday next year and this year of
course landed on a Friday which is why we had to move our meeting to the third
Friday. We have placed this as of right now again a board meeting on the third
Friday which then does create some conflicts for other members including
Chair McCallin. So we had done that in anticipation of well it's a long weekend
And we want to be careful about attendance.
And so we had moved to the third Friday rather than the second Friday,
which would of course be the Friday before the Veteran's Day or long holiday weekend.
So the chair just made that observation.
I don't know that he would even go so far as to humbly request that we stick with the second Friday,
but he did point that out that he does love chairing this meeting.
And that does prevent him from being able to do it because he'll have the same conflicts
that he has today.
So he also said that whatever the board's desire is,
he is completely fine with it.
So it is a suggestion to move the meeting in November
from the third Friday to the second?
That is correct, but then we, again,
the potential risk is that that is a three-day weekend
and some people like to start that weekend a little early.
Any reaction from board members?
Is that something that would be amenable?
It's where we have alternates.
I don't neither.
So keeping it on the second Friday
as our normal calendar would be.
Okay, there's a lot of heads nodding, Mr. Chair.
That's okay.
All right, then I need a motion
that would amend the proposed calendar to the 8th of November
from the 15th, the meeting on that month.
Is there a, sorry, the light's still on, is that?
It's possible, just a question as to why there's only one,
no committee meetings in September.
The reason for that is there is an international
industry event, trade show and event that conflicts
with the fourth Friday of the month.
And so the idea was we would do a full board meeting
on what would be our normal committee meeting.
So you're taking us all to the trade meeting?
We can take two of you on our dime.
Mr. Chair and Mr. Vice Chair.
But it is an industry event with,
it's an international rail event in Germany
and so that is the conflict.
It's called InnoTrans, it's a, yeah, exactly.
It's not the nice part of Germany.
I don't know.
With that I will make your motion.
I'm trying, I'm trying.
That's the reason for it.
Thank you, well you need to be invited to go along, I think that's to the convention.
We'll encourage our member agencies to support our board members to attend.
Thank you, with those suggestions, we have a motion, is there a second?
Move to second.
Any further discussion?
All right, any objection to the new revised?
Seeing none, motion carries as revised.
our 2024 legislative program.
I understand there is a public commenter
that would like to speak.
We'll call Donald Harlan up.
I'm Donald Harlan, this is concerning
agenda item 6D, the legislative program.
I was just, I just have some concerns.
I don't know, maybe my, I don't understand
what the item really means, but I just have general concerns
about protecting Metrolink and concerns
about bad people trying to get money out and things mostly.
I feel that it's unnecessary for Metrolink
to try and buy a bunch more trains.
I think it's known that Metrolink
has a lot of trains, an excessive amount of trains.
And if they need more, they can borrow from other train
companies in an emergency.
So I don't think that anybody from the clean air government
group should be trying to buy trains.
I see that they want to overhaul the air conditionings
and stuff, but maybe that's not even a good idea,
either, because these trains are using all their power
to power the air conditioning up the mountains
through the desert.
These people want to redo the air conditioning
and I don't want them ruining trains, really.
I just something to consider.
And stock acquired from federal funds.
I'd question if what it says there that the train stock is
acquired with federal funds or not.
That's a good question.
It may be that you're in a position
to say whether or not the stock is acquired with federal funds
or not or may be aware of it or not.
But I don't want somebody trying to switch something around,
trying to get stuff or trying to make deals,
trying to get money out.
Score for the 28 Olympics.
I hope everybody learned their lesson
trying to bring the Olympics.
Los Angeles isn't in very good condition
to be bringing the Olympics anyways.
Maybe it's just not a good idea.
And their requirements for the Olympics
from metro link isn't beyond what you already have.
So really there's nothing for them to do there.
I don't wanna discourage people
that are trying to do nice things for the city,
but that's not okay.
The aerial service is cool.
That's fine, continue.
Aerial service, you know, I don't think anybody
We're trying to get extra money out from the cities, you know,
make sure that you're not just blowing money out for them to spend because, you know,
they spend that money before you get it and they spend the money when you give it to them
and then they spend it after you give it to them.
So, you know, closing out stuff is good and that's it.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir, for your comments.
Now we might have our staff presentation from Jeff Dunn.
Thank you.
Good morning Vice Chair Chafee and members of the board.
Next slide please.
As noted on the slide before you, there are a number
of priorities carried over from this year
to the 2024 legislative program.
In fact, because this is the first year
of both the congressional
and state legislative two-year sessions,
we have removed no priorities from this year's platform.
And these highlighted priorities are among the most important
carryovers from this year to address in 2024.
The first provision has been a Metrolink priority shared by commuter rail providers nationwide
for a number of years, which is to seek full eligibility for commuter rail to existing
federal discretionary grant programs, especially CRISI.
As you know, CRISI currently requires an intercity rail linkage or benefit in order for a project
to qualify.
Expanding eligibility to all projects, irrespective of whether they have an intercity nexus, would
opened significantly the number of projects Metrolink could competitively apply for.
Although the short lines have opposed expanding eligibility, we have engaged through our advocates
and with the commuter rail coalition, the short line segment of our industry.
We are hopeful that consensus can be forged and an appropriate legislative vehicle found
to move this important priority.
The second priority listed is also especially important because Metrolink will continue
to seek to replace its remaining tier 2 locomotives with tier 4 as funding becomes available to
meet your goals expressed in Metrolinx's board-adopted climate action plan, as well as the goals
of the end-use locomotive rule adopted by CARB and reported on extensively to you.
This necessitates replacement of at least some of these locomotives prior to the end
of their federal useful life, which, under current law, could subject Metrolinx to payment
of a penalty for the retained interest of federal monies used to purchase locomotives
being replaced.
Currently, the USDOT Secretary has discretionary authority to waive the penalty.
We would like to get the waiver codified into law to remove any financial penalty from a
railroad seeking to purchase clean or rolling stock, thereby achieving the administration's
emissions and climate change goals without being penalized for doing so.
The other carryover priorities, as noted, are to seek opportunities to reduce and stabilize
the costs of rail liability insurance.
This is a nationwide top priority of the Commuter Rail Coalition, of which we are a member and
we will work with and through the CRC to effectuate.
The Olympics priority, to seek financial support for rolling stock, network infrastructure,
and maintenance facility improvements to ready Metrolink for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic
Games, is unchanged from this year and staff will report to the board monthly on the progress
of Olympics preparedness as you have requested.
And last but not least, building upon the success achieved in this year's state budget
bill, additional transit operations funding will continue to be a top priority for Metrolink
in 2024.
Next slide, please.
Following federal priorities are taken from those included in your report, some of them.
For lack of time, we cannot cover everything new, but these are identified principally
from Metrolink staff across its operational departments as important provisions that if
addressed legislatively or in regulation or regulatory guidelines would improve the operation
of the railroad.
The first is self-explanatory, securing additional Tier 4 locomotives achieves many goals of
Metrolink and the primary need is funding.
The second bullet is somewhat related to the last one, which addresses the need for support
for safety and security broadly across Metrolink's operations and particularly during the Olympic
But also, to provide scrutiny to ensure there is adequate funding to implement additional
security mandates that might be suggested or required from the TSA.
The third bullet, addressing labor market and supply chain issues exacerbated by the
pandemic, seeks support for federal policies and programs to incentivize improvements to
both help address two of the biggest challenges in delivery of capital projects still – skilled
labor and supply chain.
federal support of the disadvantaged business enterprise program as well as diversity, equity,
inclusion and accessibility guidelines brings our legislative platform into alignment with
the practices of our contracts department pursuant to board directed policy to ensure
we do business with a broad range of vendor and small businesses to the greatest extent
possible. Next slide, please. As noted before, most of the 2024 program is a continuation
of what you have already approved for this year. The first priority clarifies a need at
the state level to expand the leverage opportunity of non-state funding sources with state funding
sources whether by formula or discretionary grant and generally to reduce required contributions
by the authority to qualify for leverage matching funds.
We have also added a provision that recognizes significant elevation at the state level of
resiliency from the effects of extreme heat, climate, and weather.
We intend to work with our statewide partners to seek additional funding and support opportunities
for enhanced rail resiliency in 2024.
Next slide, please.
These highlighted local priorities, like the others,
are taken from those suggestions of MetroLink departments
that are uniquely important for this agency.
They include seeking funding at all levels
to construct and improve MetroLink maintenance facilities,
again, to seek more opportunities
to leverage non-local funding sources
and reduce authority project cost contributions
to help deliver local projects,
seeking better and more opportunities
to partner with local jurisdictions
to respond to right-of-way incidents
and to recover more efficiently.
And finally, building on our partnerships
with our station cities and communities
to continuously improve safety and security at our stations,
including the parking lots and surrounding areas
to enhance the experience of our passengers
and integrity of our service.
Next slide, please.
This concludes my presentation.
I would say again that the great majority
of the provisions and priorities
of the 2024 legislative program are carried over
from what you have already approved,
which we will continue work to advance
as the congressional and state legislative sessions
move into their second year.
I'm available to answer any questions you may have,
if any, concerning these or any of the new priorities
discussed or contained in your report.
Thank you very much for your consideration.
We ask for your approval
with the MetroLink 2024 legislative program.
Thank you for your report.
Do we have any questions or suggestions from directors?
I don't see any lights on.
I'm sorry, I missed one.
With regard to the preparation for the Olympics, Metro has been actively engaged with Washington
to try to get funding for the leasing of rolling stock for that temporary period and so on.
And I was just wondering what the status is of our agency's assessment of need during
during that period of time and what we're doing to begin preparing for that.
Director, your question is very timely. We are in the process right now, I know, working
actively with our CEO to assess precisely the needs, particularly on the Rolling Stock
question, because we are at a juncture right now whether it is uncertain, whether or not
any new Rolling Stock that we procure could be actually delivered in time for the games.
So that's something that we're currently doing. We're going to be preparing a letter to the
president very soon that will assist not only the rolling stock needs whether we
need to go to leasing or borrowing versus procuring new rolling stock but
also our maintenance facility needs and our network expansion needs for the
games. The CEO could probably speak better to this. And just in addition to what Jeff is
coming on a couple different things that our December board meeting will have an
an agenda item regarding Olympics preparation,
and then also at our workshop in January.
We'll even do it, we'll take a little bit more time
digging a bit deeper into it.
Jeff hit on a couple of the high notes
as it relates to equipment,
but there are numerous factors beyond the equipment side
that we will be working with,
but the equipment issue was one that was immediate
because if we were getting new,
we probably should have placed that order last year.
So we're already pivoting to where we find,
Potentially find borrowed equipment from our sister agencies with a couple in particular
Caltrain in the north is going to have some surplus equipment
There's a lot of things that the on the operations side that have to be figured out
But we're already exploring those partnerships where we have that I think what we really really struggle with is the amount of service
It looks like we are going to be asked to provide during the games
is
Also under the operations funding that comes with that so and and fortunately there has been some movement in Washington on operations funding, but
It's we're not seeing it move very well
We've had introductions of operations funding legislation, but it's it's sort of stalled out
So there are your as Jeff said timely question
And we're really in the the heat of the moment at this point and actually it'll be that way for the next four years
As we get ready for 2028
just to
the sense of magnitude, we're expecting to sell 10 million tickets for Olympics events and there
is no parking at any Olympic venue. So, dealing with 10 million people coming into venues and then
having them, you know, dealt with on the metro system and otherwise, it's going to be a challenge.
It's going to be a real challenge. I mean it's, and it's a great opportunity for us in the public
transit space that if we pull it off, because there's a lot of doubters, if we pull it off,
and I believe we will and I've been very active with Stephanie. There's a group
called the Games Mobility Executives that are the primary, you know, group
talking about the variety of transportation issues, it includes
Stephanie, myself, LIDOT, and Caltrans and SCAG to try to put this all together.
In fact, just met earlier this week on that on that discussion. So, but it is a
it is going to require a really really big lift. Director Dutry?
on as you said for approval don't waste the light thank you go ahead and
suggestions and moved in second at any objection to the proposed program see
none is approved unanimously thank you for presentation technical thing where
we're amending the title of senior manager audit director to audit and
approve America, Roxanne Randolph,
our Senior Manager of Human Resources.
Thank you.
Good morning, Vice Chair Chafee and members of the board.
I'm presenting item 6E, reclassification amendment
and merit approval internal audit.
Next slide, please.
It is recommended that the board approve a change
in classification title for Elizabeth Lizwardy
from senior manager audit to director audit.
Ms. Lizzuardi reports administratively
to the CEO for day-to-day operations
and functionally to the board
and audit and finance committee.
Please note that there was a Scrivener's error
in the agenda packet when it initially was posted
that stated that Ms. Lizzuardi reports
to the board and executive committee.
The error was corrected two hours after the agenda initially
went out, and all postings were updated.
Secondly, it is recommended that the board approve a 6.75 merit
increase for Ms. Lazuardi for her outstanding performance
as determined by the board during closed session
on October 27, 2023.
And this is for the annual period ending June 30, 2023.
6.75% merit increase is the rate provided to all regular full-time authority employees
who received an outstanding performance rating and this is retroactive to July 1st, 2023.
That concludes my presentation and I'm happy to answer any questions you have about this item.
Move the item.
Mr. Chair, I have a question.
I could.
Thank you, sir, I appreciate that.
director to I'm sorry for manager to director is there a different salary
range that she will now be under yes she will be and comparison to manager to
director how much more is out in terms of the number of grades or well and if I
could Roxanne and mr. chair director Marquez so the board will recall we're
in the process of completing our classification and compensation study so
So this director title will fit into that new range program, which will be brought to
the board, I hope, fingers crossed, next month, and it will slot in there.
It will be at a higher range, and it will be presented at that point, where we generally
right now have directors at mostly the same range as all.
We have a couple that bounce around.
That's why we're trying to get cleaned up.
So it will fall into a higher range than the senior manager.
I just want to give a clarification on that.
Thank you.
She deserves it.
So thank you.
I appreciate that.
another, oh sorry, our CEO is very observant, I had my light off so I couldn't use my right
hand anyway. So we now move on to our next item, which is another contract adjustment.
Train operator services, increasing annual contract authority and national railroad
passenger corporation, also known as Amtrak. Presentation by Rod Bailey, our deputy chief
operating officer.
Please go ahead, sir.
Good morning, Chair and members of the Board.
My name is Rod Bailey, as the Chair mentioned.
Deputy Chief Operation Officer representing item 6F, which is an increase to the FY2324
Annual Contract Authority for contract number OP151-21 for Metrolink train operation services
with the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, better known as Amtrak, to support the service
expansion on the Antelope Valley.
It is recommended that the board authorize
the chief executive officer to approve an increase
to the FY23-24 contract authority
for train operator services in the amount of $1,075,623
for a total not to exceed $42,000,000, $40,094.
Thank you, any questions?
Questions see none may have a motion any objection motion carries. Thank you
It's like those auctions, you know, you give a little twitch on the face and the auctioneer knows what you're talking about
Next item is our on-call engineering project management
the services
Increasing the contract funding authorization, and we do have a public speaker
We're gonna go ahead and call Donald Harlan up to make his comments
Hi, my name is Donald Harlan. This is concerning item 6g
I this is a
concerning item to me because
I
Was concerned about some of the people that are there being hired
I think that I'm not against anybody working or getting,
having good jobs, or I know you guys need to hire people.
And, but what I am concerned about is some
of the people that are being hired.
I was wondering if you guys could invest here in Metrolink
in investigating some of the companies you hire,
if they're involved in conflicts or financial crimes.
require broader financial disclosures for those people,
those companies you guys are hiring.
For example, if we find out one of these companies has $10 trillion
of fake mortgages for unlawfully developed real estate
in England or something, you know, obviously,
that should be in their financial disclosure.
Hey, you know that you're illegally developing Donald's
property and trying to give it away to foreign agents, foreign actors,
and that conflicts with the business in Metrolinx and you can't,
you can't be trusted.
You know, these guys, you know, they don't own the, they don't own that property.
There's crazy people building stuff everywhere.
And it seems that that comes a lot out of the real, out of the insurance companies.
the people selling house insurance, property insurance,
they think that because they have an insurance title
that that's the same thing as a deed, and it's not.
So it's always been a problem
with insurance companies in that way.
And so you know there's laws at every level
of the government that prevents insurance companies
from dealing real estate.
And if any of the companies listed under 6G
have deals like that, they need to be completely
run out of metro.
Or maybe if you can flip them on their coworkers
who did the illegal deals, we can use them as workers.
Something like that.
But I'm not just, I don't wanna just blame people
in their, you know, I imagine they're big companies too
and there's bad people and all that.
But you know what?
Some of these people you guys have hired in here
are no good whatsoever.
Just you should have them do wider financial disclosures,
have somebody do more research about each of the guys'
companies, see if they're involved in deals.
I think you guys already know.
Thank you.
Thank you, Sarah, for your comments.
Now if we might have our presentation of our staff
person Andy Althorpe. Good morning Vice Chairman and board members so the
existing on-call engineering project management construction management and
staff assistant services contract expires on June the 30th 2025 contract
for authority is currently 50 million and we are proposing an increase to 70
million. To date 40 million has been expended we have a further 20 million
of known commitments throughout 2024-25 with a proposed further 10
million in contingency for as yet unknowns, the total authorisation
requested is 70 million. Next slide please. So our recommendation is that the
Board authorise the Chief Executive Officer to increase the contract funding
authorisation, the bench contract number E-74620, the on-call engineering project
management, construction management and staff assistance contract, to buy 20
million to a new not to exceed total of 70 million expiring on June the 30th
2025 for all bench contracts are there any questions at all any questions of
board members
in seconded any objection to this item motion carries unanimously thank you for
presentation now we come to the bombardier passenger rail car HVAC
the overhead presented by Angelos Christianakis.
I hope I said that right.
Almost, thank you.
Good morning, Vice Chair.
Angelos Christianakis, principal contract
and compliance administrator.
I'm presenting item 6H.
It is a recommendation to award contract number EP 235-24
for HVAC overhaul to locomotive climate solution.
Next slide, please.
The authority's Bombardier passenger rail car fleet
is in need of overhaul and rebuild work
for the heating, ventilating, and air conditioning units,
HVAC units, in order to ensure uninterrupted service
in a safe and comfortable environment
for metallink passengers.
RFP number EP235-24 was issued on July 21, 2023,
and three responsive proposals were received
by the due date of September 20, 2023.
Next slide, please.
During proposal evaluation,
Locomotive Climate Solution, LCS, was found to be the highest-run proposal for combined
technical and price criteria.
Pursuant to negotiations, LCS's proposed price was found to be fair and reasonable,
about 21 percent lower than the authority's estimate.
Next slide, please.
It is therefore recommended that the board authorize the CEO to award contract number
EP-235-24 for the overhaul of for partier passenger rail car HVAC to LCS
solutions LLC in not to exceed contract authority of two million three
thousand three hundred thirty one dollars and twelve cents that includes
1.2 million almost for the base order of HVAC of 87 HVAC units and seven
$156,722 for an optional quantity of up to 50 units.
And that option can be exercised under the CEO's authority.
The contract term will be effective upon insurance of a notice to proceed through acceptance
of oral age back units and a completion of the warranty period expected to be completed
for the base order in the third quarter of 2027.
This recommendation is subject to the resolution of any timely filed protests.
Next slide, please.
concludes my presentation, the project manager Christian Villas and I can answer any questions
you may have.
Thank you.
Questions of board members?
Please go ahead.
Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks for a good presentation.
I'm in favor of doing this, but I'm just curious.
For the first 87 units, the unit price is $14,328.
If we go with option, the unit price has increased up to $15,134.
At least that's what my iPhone tells me in doing quick math.
Can you tell me why the increase in price if we exercise that option?
Actually, I don't have this backup information with me today, but I can definitely send it
to you.
We can send it through the board secretary.
But I believe that during the negotiation, it was addressed as a pricing approach with
some escalation due to the market fluctuation.
So it's an inflation and market kicker?
Yes.
The math may not be right because I haven't had enough coffee yet, but I was just curious.
There is a certain part of the price that is not carried over to the option and has
to do with non-reoccurring costs which is developing the solution, approving it, and
some engineering drawings and specs.
And then the second part, the option doesn't have these costs, but it does have some escalation.
Thank you.
Yes, Director Bergson.
Yes, Dr. Bergson. I was curious
For the cost of the rehab. What was the cost to just replace these?
We don't have a comparative table right now, but some years ago when we did purchase a replacement units that were
significantly higher
We can provide this information to we can do a market research and get back to you a small difference
Would the placement be better?
that would be really helpful for us to make a really good decision.
Mr. Chair we have Neil Brown from our equipment group it's approached the
podium maybe able to respond. Yes sir we we don't have the exact figures but it's
been typically true that we're probably looking at three times the cost at least
equipment and then there's the additional concerns of availability. I
I mean, typically these sorts of HVACs are not just available out there to produce.
They get produced in terms of specifications with the cars and the locomotives.
So quite frankly, I would not expect there to be a quantity available for purchase in
terms of these cars.
So it's definitely significant increase.
That's my estimation, yes, sir.
What we typically do when we have these work scopes is we have them qualify the equipment
that's there and then replace as needed.
So it's definitely going to be significantly more expensive to buy new.
And again, the availability is probably not there I would say.
Any more questions?
That's a good question.
Thank you for asking that.
We have a motion to approve.
Moved and seconded.
Any objection?
carries unanimously. We come to the last of our contract items which is an
on-call professional mapping surveying and specialized rail alignment design
and it's presented by is it Jaime or Jamie? Jaime, Jaime, CEDO, Spanish for Jamie. Thank you.
Please go ahead. Good morning Vice Chair and members of the board. I'm going to
Item 6i. I have the project manager here, Elizabeth Lunn, for any questions. This is
for contract E756-24, titled on-call professional surveying mapping, specialized rail alignment
design, and PTC database development and support services. Next slide, please.
Questions of board members seeing none may have a motion
You weren't finished yet, right? No, okay
But but take the hint I mean yeah, I like I like being in front of the
It's my second time, but I enjoy it
All right procurement purpose the authorities seeking to award a contract to a qualified firm to perform
uncalled professional surveying mapping specialized rail
alignment design, and PTC database development
and support services for the authority.
Next slide please.
It is recommended that the board authorize the Chief Executive
Officer to award contract E756-24 uncalled professional
surveying mapping services specialized rail alignment
design and PTC database development
and support services to RSC Corporation for a not
to exceed contract authority amount of 4.5 million dollars
for a term of five years.
Next slide please.
At this point, I conclude my presentation and open it
up for any questions you may have.
Now? Okay.
Thank you.
Are there any questions from board members?
Yes please, Mr. Corcoran, go ahead.
Thank you Mr. Chair.
Thanks for the presentation.
It sounds to me like the scope of work is covers a number
of different things that aren't necessarily closely related,
but I could be totally wrong about that.
The PTC database development, for example, I'm not sure what that is and how that relates
to professional surveying and mapping and so on.
And the context for the question is I'm just wondering
if these were necessarily linked into a single RFP,
which inherently reduces the number of potential bidders
that we might have.
So how is the scope of work of this all related?
Yeah, that's a great question, and for that,
I'm going to pass it over to Liz Sloan
to respond to your question.
Right, so PTC is made up of critical features
along the rail system and so a lot of those features require survey as well on the system
and mapping and so that essentially is how it is related.
It's a lot of database information and it requires that type of expertise that goes
from surveying as a start all the way down to the database and number crunching.
Questions, please go ahead everybody see your light on so use Leslie moves
Who didn't second it in the objection to anyone?
Seeing none motion carries unanimously
Thank you
Now we're coming to a series of receive and file items
Our first one is the financial results for the first quarter
writership revenue and operating results presented by Christine Wilson our senior manager for finance
Good morning Vice Chair True and members of the Board again and I'm presenting number
6J financial results for the first quarter of FY24.
This slide displays ridership as compared to forecast for the past nine months.
As you can see we are continuing to outperform our forecast.
The actuals are green and the blue line is the forecast.
Next slide, please.
This slide shows the progress in our COVID recovery over the past four years.
Once again, the forecast is in blue line and the different shades of green represent the
monthly totals compared to that forecast over the last four years.
Next slide, please.
This chart displays actual revenue versus budget for the first three months of FY24.
As you can see, our improvement versus budget continues to climb.
Next slide, please.
Here we have the actual amounts.
Fairbox revenue was budgeted at 8.2 million or 42 percent, while the actuals achieved
were 8.7 million or 45 percent, a positive variance of $506,000.
Next slide.
This slide shows the comparisons of ridership forecast versus the forecast for the first
three months of FY 24.
Next slide, please.
This shows the specific numbers for boarding.
The forecast was 1.2 million through the first three months, or 41 percent recovery, while
the actual boardings were 1.4 million, or a 46 percent recovery, a positive variance
of 154,000 boardings.
Next slide, please.
The operating statement.
The operating statement shows first quarter operating revenue
of 15.4 million, which is 2.6 million
over the budgeted revenue.
Expense for the quarter is 66.9 million,
which is 8.8 million under budget.
Thus, in total, support required is 11.4 million less
than budgeted.
It should be noted that expenses are based on accruals
and that money expenses will occur only
in the second half of the year.
Next slide please.
Here we see the details of the operating statement.
This is the revenue section.
Next slide please.
This is the section depicting the train expenses.
Next slide please.
And here we have maintenance away, administration and legal.
Next slide please.
This slide shows the agency pass due receivables.
As this chart shows, Metroly currently has 2.8 million
in outstanding support receivables.
Of this amount, as of September 30, 26.2 of that amount was
over 60 days pass due.
Next slide please.
Arrow service.
Next slide please.
Arrow service for the first quarter revenue was 59.4 thousand
while the ridership was 20 thousand.
Next slide please.
Total expenses for arrow services were 3.3 million
or 1.4 million below the continuing resolution approved
by SBCTA putting the required support 1.4 million less
than planned.
That concludes my report.
May I answer any questions?
Thank you for your report.
Board members, any questions, concerns?
Well, this is a receiving file.
I'm sorry, go ahead.
Ms. Corin.
I'm sorry, I just have to make the comment
that this is really exciting because after so many reports
for three years of seeing revenues and ridership below
that budget line, we're finally getting to the point
where we're surpassing budget expectations,
both in revenues and in expenses, favorable to budget,
with expenses and with revenues.
So, good job everybody on the team because we're now
at a point where since we're actually exceeding budget
assumptions on revenues and ridership,
we're in a situation finally
where we're seeing sustainable recovery in our budget,
and it's the first time that we've really seen
that since COVID began, so great work.
I'm excited to see it, thank you.
As I see our lady with the light, go ahead, Director Spiegel.
The lady with the light, okay.
I know we haven't really had on-time performance report
for a while, have we?
Okay, so the first three months of fiscal year 24, Riverside County residents, I guess,
had the worst performance, as far as a lot of late trains and challenges, and when we
talk about the ridership, there is always that relationship that we need to start really
focusing on what are the reasons for these late trains and the inability to make sure
that it's gonna be on time and that's a concern that we have to do it hand in hand.
Mr. Chair, Director Spiegel, the on-time performance reliability of our trains is, we certainly
hear it from our customers, if things aren't going smoothly, we always talk about safety
being foundational, but a very close second is our reliability and timeliness, that's
what our passengers care about.
The riverside, the riverside lines have had and historically have had some of our largest
impacts, and particularly the riverside line where we do share that with Union Pacific.
We're going to try some different approaches, and Director Spiegel, you've been on this
board long enough to know that we have struggled with the riverside line almost since our inception.
And so, they have new leadership at UP, they're certainly a challenged freight railroad.
going to try some things there to try to improve that relationship and by
extension hopefully the on-time performance side of things and then on
the lines that we share with BNSF on the San Bernardino subdivision which is the
Paris Valley 91 line and the Inland Empire Orange County line we've had
better time we've had better OTP there BNSF has prioritized our trains
relatively well, so there is sort of a tale of two great railroads as we work
through that. We're continuing to work on the reliability side with BNSF, but I
think our real struggle is with Union Pacific, and we're gonna try some new
approaches there now that they have new leadership at the highest level, and in
fact invite their new CEO to Southern California so we can have a
try to open a better dialogue. I appreciate it, thank you. Director Nojari?
Yes, thank you. Since we're talking about ridership, it's been about a month that
we've increased the service on the Animal Valley line. And do you have any indication,
any data, as to how that's looking? Not yet, really, because... Oh, we do. Oh, wait a
second. But it was gonna be in my CEO's report, Mr. Chair. But since you asked now, it'll
just shorten my CEO's report, which I know goes, which everybody appreciates. So, so
So we've had it about three weeks.
In the very first two weeks, we saw an immediate 8.9% increase in ridership over the prior
service levels, and then one week later, we were at 9.9%.
So we expected a somewhat slow ramp-up of service.
We knew it was going to be positive, but in the first three weeks, about a 10% increase
in ridership on the Antelope Valley line, with the highest numbers being on the mid-day
trains and very strong ridership more than we had forecasted on the weekend
trains. It's very interesting because we we have these discussions board members
and folks from the LA division and we've heard the calls for more service and
some of the responses are well there's not that much ridership anyway. Chicken
or EGG ridership or service and this may be some encouraging results that the way
these additional service lines and segments have been placed seem to be
doing you know very encouraging increase in ridership and service. We're
very pleased and my staff would remind me that this is actually the
time of year where we start seeing ridership levels decline just a little
little bit or at least stay flat because of holidays and that type of thing.
So the fact that we're seeing this right now gives us real reason for optimism going into
the new calendar, we'll get into January.
We could see an even more positive reaction and response.
That's great.
I'm very glad to see that.
Thank you.
Thank you for giving us, which is essentially a happy report.
Appreciate it.
and we're delighted to present happy reports.
The receiving file item, if there's no objection,
that will be the order.
Let's move on to our next
preliminary quarterly investment report
by Vivian Avela, Ayla, our senior manager for finance.
Do we have more than one senior manager
for essentially the same title?
Okay, thank you.
Good morning, Vice Chair, Board members, next slide.
At the bottom of this slide, we see Metrolink's total cash
of $157.1 million at September 30th,
which compares to $127.5 million for the previous quarter.
This $29.6 million increase was primarily due
to three factors, one, a sizable drawdown
of the FY23 Preventative Maintenance Grant,
two, receipt of the annual CalSTA grant for rail yard work,
And lastly, a robust AR collections quarter from our federal and state grantors.
A few other items worth noting on the slide is the breakout between restricted and unrestricted
funds.
While in our physical custody, Metrolink cannot access restricted funds until required grantor
or other conditions imposed by third parties have been met.
At September, month end, restricted funds totaled 45.7 million.
funds available for spending totaled 111.4 million yet an additional 6.8 million for
legal matters has been reserved which leaves us with 104.6 in unrestricted funds.
Next slide.
This slide shows detail of interest income received in Q1 FY24 as compared to Q4.23.
Down on the bottom line you can see interest of 947,000 was received which was 23 percent
or 174,000 higher than the prior quarter.
This is due to the current interest rate environment
and specifically Metrolinx decision
to move our board threshold funds
to an institution providing a higher interest rate.
So that account is currently providing
an annual percentage yield of 4.08%.
Next slide please.
This last slide provides a more detailed breakdown
of our unrestricted cash balances
and illustrates how we evaluate our daily liquidity.
Looking at the far right hand column,
the first two categories are the net operating cash
and board threshold funds which total the 104.6 million
from my previous comments.
This figure represents all of our unrestricted cash,
less funds reserved for legal issues.
From there to determine our daily liquidity,
we then account for existing cash claims
which are specific liabilities that generally relate
to unearned cash advances, surpluses or other funds belonging
to member agencies or other third parties
that are often subject to refund.
So after total claims, MetroLink had available liquidity
of 34.1 million to fund operations and capital advances.
This represents a month-ending cash position and due
to variations in cash selectivity,
This number can fluctuate significantly on a daily basis.
Last comment on cash position while total cash
in the quarter increased.
As previously mentioned, liquid cash trended downward
and this is primarily due to two factors.
One, the cash inflows that contribute
to the overall increase primarily represented grant funds
that were not yet earned and therefore unavailable
and the second reason was the increase
in cash claims as you can see from the chart.
The largest of which was the recognition and segregation
of the FY23 operating surplus of 17.9 million which served
to decrease available cash.
That's the end of my presentation.
I'm happy to answer any questions you might have.
Thank you.
Any questions from board members?
Another receiving file item.
If no objection, it will be ordered, received, and filed.
And I believe you're up with our next item.
Yes, I am.
Please go ahead.
good morning again next slide. This slide shows 44.3 million in total receivables as of September
30th which compares to 57.1 million in the prior quarter representing a 12.8 million dollar decrease.
This was due to strong collections specifically FTA score and our metro capital programs
collections coupled with a bit of a seasonal slowdown in billing activity. The past quarter
saw an increase in past due receivables which increased to 34.4 million from the previous
quarters total of 15.6 million. This is due to an increase in past due member agency support
receivables. The slide provides a further breakdown of past due receivables. I'll focus
on the first two rows. Out of the total of 34.4 million of past dues we have 28.2 million
and member support receivables passed due.
This includes 2.7 of accounts receivable related
to FY 23 support receivables and the remainder for Q1 FY 24.
Just to touch on the other category below it,
we have 4.5 million in receivables 4.4 related
to the San Clemente project.
Since September 30th, we've collected 2.0.
The remainder rose total 1.8 million and all
All of that has been collected since September 30th with the exception of the legal receivable
and next slide.
I believe this slide was presented in Ms. Wilson's report so just to give a little bit
more detail, OCTA's total AR of 22.7 as of September 30th has increased to 33.8 million
as a result of Q2 support payments becoming past due.
RCT sees $8.6 million, $15.4 million as a result of the Q2 support payment coming past
due.
VCT sees balance as of September of $1.6 million has increased to $3 million as a result of
the Q2 support payment being past due.
As of today, Metro has no past due balances, and VCTA has a capital receivable of $250,000
that's past due.
So that concludes my report and I'm happy to take any questions.
Board members, any questions?
I see a light on at the end down here.
Director Tran?
Yep. Sorry, can we go back to that slide on that?
Just wanted to comment that OCTA's past due is being worked on.
Currently OCTA staff as well as is working
with Metrolinx diligently on this and expect that to be resolved.
And I would only add the same.
No pressure on Orange account.
Yeah. And the same is occurring with our CTC.
So hopefully we will have a much better report on the next, well not hopefully,
we will have a much better report on the next quarterly report.
Thank you for remarking about that being from that same agency.
I was a little concerned myself.
Oh, is this typical that the accounts receivable are dragged so far out?
So that process has not been completed?
And I would only add that it's been anything but typical these last three or four years.
So we've had, in many cases, COVID relief money that helped get us through some
of these items historically where we would be able, we'd have COVID money
as that money available from the member jurisdiction given
that COVID money is exhausted.
We are now working directly with the member agencies
to finalize memorandums of understanding,
which is the trigger for then those member agencies
giving us the funding.
So that's a big part of it,
and it's just taking some time to get through the MOUs.
Whereas the last three years,
we just didn't have to worry about...
That wasn't the driving force for the funding to...
Yeah, thank you, Chair.
I just wanted to additional comment on that.
So, our OCTA's past due balance on that reflects the operating subsidy funds
that's yet to be paid are pending our execution
of the annual OCTA MetroLink funding agreement.
Currently in this MetroLink it's holding up an agreement
with a funding source change request that we have on the table
and our staff is working diligently to come to the agreement on that.
Thank you for that comment.
Yes, go ahead Dr. Noratarian.
I'm just poking some fun because Metro had previously been in a situation
like this maybe even worse in terms of past due worse so you know we're just
we're just happy that we're not the we were definitely bigger I mean I'm all
fessed up to that and perhaps it's a result of our new CEO having experience
with Metro link understanding the the importance and the you know then the
need to keep up with the billing so I'm but I'm just poking fun of you guys some
Orange County I know good reasons SPCTA's lowest here so if you need some
help contact SPCTA staff. Can I ask a quick question? What is the reason on the
holdup on the MOUs? It's a variety of different reasons depending on your
agency. We operate with right now we have three of our member agencies that
require an MOU. We will likely end up with a fourth in the next cycle with
with only BCTC not having an MOU.
It depends on the grant sources
that are identified in the MOU,
and so obviously at Metrolink,
if we could get local funding,
it's very easy, it's clean, it's simple.
But historically, and this dates back to 2016, 2017,
when we started federalizing some of our work,
we used grants, and we used federal grants,
and member agencies used federal grants.
So with those federal grants comes extra strings
and trying to figure out what money's gonna pay for what.
So, and again, this dates back to my time at VCTC,
where VCTC was really struggling,
and Metrolink agreed to federalize preventative maintenance.
And so, it's just a matter of figuring out
the right colors of money, the right grants
to pay for what we do, and we get hung up on that.
And of course, we need the cash to operate our system,
but a grant is not cash.
A grant requires a long process,
and so we struggle trying to get that organized
so that we actually have the cash to operate our system.
The grants is great, but we top of times
don't see the grant revenue for six to eight, nine months.
We need the funding now.
And so, the more we can get the local funding, the better.
And that's where we generally will have a hang-up,
is just making sure that we get that set up.
And not again to keep tooting the horn of LA Metro.
Please don't.
You know, bring it, and this is, as Director Najarian pointed out, I think it's a recognition
from the, you know, my predecessor who sat in this chair.
It's like, we need this first quarter revenue very quickly and we get Metro funding right
away because it helps us cover our insurance bills and a few other things so that is very
helpful.
But those are, every county has a slightly different issue with the MOU.
One of the things I'm asking our general counsel to work with the general counsels of the member
agencies is if we can come up with a template, MOU, that we all are on the same page on,
and then an attachment to that.
So this is the funding per quarter, so we can try to streamline some of these efforts
so we don't have the situation we're running into today.
Probably a longer answer than you want.
I just don't want to hear LA Metro again.
If there are no more reassuring comments, this is a receiving file item.
If no objection, that will be the order.
Let's now move on to trip planning and fare payment integration strategic plan presented by Roderick Diaz.
Good morning, Vice Chair Chaffee and members of the board.
I'm here to present on item 6M, the trip planning and fare payment integration strategic plan.
I'm joined by my colleague David Wong, who helped manage the effort of the consultant,
Cambridge Systematics.
This is one of a series of initiatives intended to integrate the transportation throughout
Southern California as funded by the 2018 TIRCP grant award.
This initiative is intended to make tripmaking on the rail system easier, easy for prospective
passengers to learn about the system, to plan journeys and to pay fares and to use the trains
for seamless travel experience.
Next slide, please.
This report makes two key recommendations in the context
of the state of the practice for integration
of trip planning and fair payment tools.
The first relates to apps.
Should Metrolink have its own app?
Should it only make transit information available
to third party apps or should it leverage the strengths
of both paths. This plan recommends both, allowing passengers to find Metrolink through
third-party providers such as Google or Apple and other apps like Transit App or Move It,
and also to promote customization of approaches to our customers through customized communication,
fine-tuned marketing campaigns, discounts, and loyalty programs available through our
own app. The second recommendation relates to a payment system known as open loop. Given
our investment in ticket vending devices and our own mobile app, should we accommodate
open loop payments? This report recommends we do. An open loop payment system will allow
users to use a contactless credit or debit card already in common use to purchase fare
by simply tapping on at a contactless validator at the beginning station and tapping off at
destination station. This will enable yet another easy option for paying fares in
addition to purchase of paper tickets at the DVDs or acting evading a QR code
ticket on a smartphone app. This plan recommends pursuing a pilot application
on one of our lines to test the response and the feasibility of such a system on
our network. There was a question in the briefings to the board on the cost. Such
Such costs will be explored with CalITP, the California Integrated Travel Project, a division
of Caltrans in setting up a pilot, but the indications are that the implementation support
through grants provided by CalITP would be significant.
On top of that, the State of California has negotiated significantly low transaction fees
for the open loop transactions processed.
That concludes my presentation, and I would be happy to answer any questions.
Any questions on this item?
Seeing none, again, this is a receive and file item.
No objection, it is still ordered.
Did I miss one?
There are some people who used it.
The order is reversed for now.
Okay.
You're on.
I wrote them.
Never mind.
I'm slow.
Some of us are not real well versed with apps.
You do training with this.
Now you're saying there's, you could go here or here.
I guess those that use apps will know that you can go either place, is that what you're
saying?
Essentially I'm saying is that we have our own app that we're procuring right now and
we will continue to support that and use that as a way to make customized marketing approaches
to our customers with specialized.
That's our primary one.
our primary app. We offer discounts and loyalty programs through that app. What the plan also
supports is the fact that we should support the provision of data through other apps such
as the Google transit, Apple pay, move it or the transit app as one of many apps as
we do now. Actually so we provide real time information on the location of our trains
in order to provide those trip planners good data
to make a recommendation to take Metrelink.
Thank you.
Good information.
Thank you.
Thank you for that question.
Any further questions?
All right.
It is a receiving file item
and if no objection it is ordered to receive the file.
Thank you for your presentation.
And we have our November legislative update again
from Jeff Dunn.
Thank you, Vice Chair, members of the board.
Next slide, please.
As noted in your report, MetroLink hosted its Ventura County line byline outreach meetings
last month with elected officials and station city staff of those communities and jurisdictions
served by the VCL.
MetroLink provided updates to participants on the current status of SCORE project work,
quiet zones and related regulations, maintenance of way issues, sustainability actions, and
service recovery efforts.
We were able to share information about MetroLink's flexible fares and programs to enhance our
ridership and expand the accessibility of our service. This includes the mobility
for all FAIR program providing deeply discounted fares for qualifying low
income riders and the exciting new student adventure pass just launched in
October providing free passes to students attending high school, trade
school, community colleges, and universities which are paid for by state
grant funds. Our CEO Mr. Kettle led a robust question-and-answer discussion
from local elected leaders on important issues including fare evasion and ticket
checking practices, local safety and security concerns
in coordination with law enforcement,
and details concerning the recently launched
additional AVL service and how that impacts trains
and connectivity from Union Station
and at the Burbank Station and ultimately provides VCL
riders with more trains and options.
Elected representatives and or their staffs
at the federal, state, and local level,
as well as staff of all the station cities on the VCL
and of the Ventura County Transportation Commission
participated in these well attended and well received meetings.
Additionally, as noted in your report on October 23rd, our CEO Mr. Kettle and Metrolink staff
hosted a tour of the central maintenance facility with Los Angeles Councilwoman, Unesos Hernandez,
who represents Council District 1.
As we have done with prior elected official tours of the CEMF, we provided information
concerning the overall service and maintenance of our trains conducted at the facility as
well as sharing the efforts Metrolink has undertaken to mitigate community impacts related
to noise and emissions. These include the installation of sound monitors throughout
the property, offering real-time decibel-level readings that are accessible online on Metrolink's
website, the acquisition of an electric car mover that can reposition trains more quietly
and without idling emissions, a sound barrier wall on the Elysian Park side of the facility
that absorbs rather than reflects sound and is positioned for maximum noise reduction
from the trains that are behind it, and the installation and operation of ground power
stations that produce no emissions while the trains are being serviced.
We strive to continuously improve and reduce the impacts on the maintenance facility, on
the neighboring communities, and we will offer tours such as this to inform and educate our
partners and elected offices of these ongoing and future efforts at the CMF.
In state matters, as discussed in the report, I'd like to draw attention to a proposed
constitutional amendment and two legislative bills that have passed which may potentially
impact transportation funding in two of the member agency jurisdictions.
ACA1 passed the legislature by two-thirds vote and will go to the voters in the November
2024 general election.
Among other provisions, ACA1 would authorize the local government to impose, extend, or
increase the sales and use tax or transactions and use tax or parcel tax for the purposes
of funding the construction, reconstruction, rehabilitation, or replacement of public infrastructure
as well as for other purposes.
For transportation, this means capital project expenditures, not operations.
Also passing the legislature and signed into law by the governor are AB 1385,
a bill sponsored by Riverside County Transportation Commission that would increase
from the current limit of 1% to 1.1 and a half percent the maximum amount of transactions
and use tax that RCTC could impose for transportation purpose,
subject to approval by the voters.
Also, SB 335, a bill that would authorize the county
of Ventura to impose a transactions and use tax
for the support of county-wide transportation projects
of up to 1.5% that, in combination
with the other current transaction and use taxes,
would exceed the current combined rate in statute,
which is limited to 2%, if the county adopts an ordinance
for posing the tax and the ordinance is approved
by the voters.
The current voter threshold for both of these transactions
and use tax increases authorized by A.B. 1385 and SB 335 is two thirds. If ACA 1 passes
in November 2024, the voter threshold to approve these increases would be 55%, not two thirds.
Next slide, please. In federal matters, I'm pleased to report this week the Congress passed
a two-tier continuing resolution to keep the federal government running under status co-funding
into early 2024. The measure funds the Departments of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development
Veterans Affairs, Energy, and Agriculture through January 19th, the
remaining federal government departments, including Defense, is funded through
February 2. There remains a wide difference between the Senate and House
respective FY24 T-HUT appropriations bills that will need to be resolved in
conference committee, hopefully during the extension period provided by the
CER. This will significantly impact both formula funding and discretionary
funding that Metrolink will receive and will be eligible for. Metrolink
and its partners including the commuter rail coalition and the California Transit Association
have and continue to advocate for full funding authorized by the bipartisan infrastructure
law and the final appropriations bill and we will keep you apprised as this process
develops.
This concludes my report.
I'm happy to take any questions.
Board members, thank you for the update, I appreciate it.
Again I receive the file item and now we get to have what we've all been waiting for,
CEO's report. Thank you Mr. Chair. We'll launch right into the slide deck
first on my report and I have a few off script items I want to bring up as
well. So let's go to the next slide. I think the big news of this last week was
our response to the Interstate 10 bridge closure and what it required of us and
what we were asked to do on very very short order. You know Sunday morning I
I receive a text message from Stephanie Wiggins saying,
are your trains affected by the I-10 bridge closure?
Answered no.
Good, can you put more trains out there?
And within 24 hours, we added a total of six round trips
on the San Bernardino line,
with four of those going back and forth to Covina only.
Actually, the start was we had six going back and forth
the Covina only the first day. We modified the schedule slightly on the Tuesday where we had
four back and forth the Covina, four additional round trips and one all the way to Ranch Cucamonga.
And we also added a passenger car to all of the trains on the San Bernardino line and that all
happened in less than 24 hours. So a real massive level of effort by the entire team and I will
For fear, I will share more names next month
when we can make sure we cover everybody.
But particularly our scheduling and dispatching team
did a massive level of effort to be able
to get these new trains out in less than 24 hours.
And then our communications team then
to get the word out to our users.
Just from a ridership perspective,
in those first few days, we actually did see
a small 3.9% ridership increase for that.
So, and it is a bit of a, as I've shared with a few board members, it is a glimpse of what are things to come as we look towards the future about being this regional passenger railroad and moving beyond the commuter railroad concept, more trains, more frequency throughout the day.
We had nearly half hour frequencies on the San Bernardino line almost throughout the day with hour frequencies all the way to San Bernardino.
So a significant amount of service.
We had even made some great progress to,
we were gonna launch on Monday,
a new train on the Orange County Line, mid-day,
and, but then we had this little announcement
that happened last night,
that I-10 will be open by Tuesday.
So we decided to put that Orange County Line train
back in our pocket.
We may come asking again later,
but for now, it'll just,
it wasn't something we were gonna move forward,
we're not gonna move forward with,
but it was a really great response on the part
of the full Metrolink team to be able to do this.
And what we, I don't know if you saw the news,
the LA Times had a very good editorial about that,
where they talked about the added service.
And if anything from social media, we just kept hearing,
it's like, can't you make this permanent?
And we can't right now because we're using state funding
from the declared state of emergency.
So that money will, once the freeway is reopened,
We won't be able to tap that, but nonetheless, it's, I think, I hope a positive sign of things
to come.
Next slide.
We touched on the Antelope Valley line, so we'll breeze right past this one, other than
just saying, once again, it's a good news story.
Student and Venture Pass, again, about the same time we launched Antelope Valley on just
a slightly earlier than that, earlier in October.
Student Adventure Pass has been a great success, 18,000 new student mobile accounts.
We've had 28,000 mobile activations, so that means the ticket falls into their app, and
then it gets activated, and that's what our conductor is able to read.
So we've seen a great response from students in that program, and then 57,000 paper tickets.
So again, it's been very, very positive received, and we're continuing to, as we get into the
next portion of the year, as we get into early 24 and kids are back in school, we'll have
a full sort of semester to be ready to have them ready rather than catching them sort
of midway through their first semester which is what we did this year.
Next slide.
We've been talking quite a bit.
You should be seeing this in your social media feed, the Holiday Express Train.
You can see the routes.
I have a special plea to my good friends in Riverside County to help us with the, help
us get the word out about the 91 Paris Valley Line Express Train.
Our ticket sales are a little slow on that one.
We're working with our CTC staff on this as well,
but we certainly need all of the enthusiasm you can bring
to get people to look at purchasing tickets
for the holiday train on the 91 Paris Valley line.
I don't believe, we did not have this the last time
we did it in 2019, so we really want this to be a success
so that we have great reason
to bring it back again next year.
But other lines have been,
we've seen some real positive response on that.
Next slide.
All right, so just a couple of off-calendar items.
First of all, we have someone that joined us
at the dais today that we, unfortunately,
we don't do a roll call,
but we do have Marlon Regisford, very good.
Marlon Regisford is Caltrans District Seven's
new Deputy District Director
for Planning and Local Assistance.
And so welcome to Marlon joining us.
Gloria was not able to be here today,
and so Marlon is stepping in
and is again that new permanent position
as the deputy director for planning an assistant,
a local assistant, so welcome to Marlon.
We had just a couple of other real positive news.
We have, many of you may recall
while we were in labor negotiations, Anna Ho.
She was one of our staff people
that was involved in our labor negotiations.
She was recognized by a labor and professional union for California, an association, as the
2023 Moving Forward Award for her work in labor and employee relations at the statewide
level so she was recognized there.
We have a couple of projects that were recognized by the American Council of Engineering Companies.
It's the consulting engineers of the United States.
They do a California award.
And the Cypress Shores Emergency Project,
our partnership with OCTA and ourselves
for that emergency project,
was recognized at what they call the honor level,
which makes it, it puts it in contention
for the statewide Golden State Award.
So that project was recognized,
but also recognized was the Redlands Passenger Rail Project
that by ACEC.
So both projects, it's a friendly competition,
but they are all in that,
have that opportunity to be recognized
as the Golden State Award.
So good news there.
I wanna make another quick introduction.
Anna Denneke.
Anna Denneke is our new manager for government relations.
You all remember Alex Davis.
Anna joins us from the American Society of Civil Engineers,
where she has done government relations for them.
So you're all familiar with the report card
that we all get about infrastructure
and that type of thing?
Well, that's where Anna comes from.
So looking forward to having her
be a part of Jeff Dunn's team.
And then last, this is a little bit with sorrow
that I have to share this news.
We have a member of our team that's gonna be leading us,
but weirdly, she'll be coming right back to this building
starting Monday, Jennifer Avalar, who has been sitting in our seat here, has served
in a couple different roles for us. She has been my executive assistant for the
last few months, an assignment that she had no idea she was taking on when I
asked her to step in a few months ago. She's going to be leaving us, she's going
to LA Metro, where she will be working for the board secretary's office in
Collette Langston so and going to work for an amazing person in Collette. I will
personally miss Jennifer she is she is anything that something pops up just
let's sure I'll do it and so and then in taking taking Jennifer's spot in
supporting me for the next few months will be Angie Gaudinas our new board
assistant secretary so in any event thank you Jennifer for your service here
She's been here about six years at Metrolink and she is loved
by the entire Metrolink team.
So it's a big loss for us, but Metro, you're getting a good one.
Mr. Chair, that concludes my report.
Thank you.
Now we come to board member comments.
Do we have any board members who'd like to comment?
Yes, Dr. Najarian.
Yes, thank you, just briefly.
So we have our service cessation suspension December 26th through the 29th.
Let's do everything we can to get that out there, whether it's on our
trains, on our social media platforms, on the apps that tell you how to get
from one place to the other just so we don't leave people flat-footed during
that holiday week? Director Najarian, we're on it. If you're not seeing in your email,
I've already received it in my email as a customer. We're going to continue to get that
word out through social media. We have a moonshot goal during the week of the 26th to the 29th
that no one shows up at a platform expecting a train. So that is what we are going to attempt
pull off. any further director comments? yes director Spiegel. on that are we doing
like seat drops so that those that are regular writers? absolutely so here we
are at November 16th 17th we have a full we have a full plan for that as well as
conductor announcements seat drops all the social media announcements well in
advance at platforms and in fact if I heard it from my train this morning that
that we are announcing 26 through 29,
there will be a full system closure.
So it has already started.
Is there signs on the trains themselves inside?
At this point, I don't believe,
I have not seen signage on trains
and it would be something I'd notice.
As we get closer to it, we'll do,
particularly the seat drops are an effective way to do it.
And then we'll just continue to make other announcements.
Well, I am not as well versed in our full campaign on it,
but the ridership will continue to hear it.
I think the biggest question we have is,
that week of the 26th, the 29th are oftentimes,
while it's our lowest ridership time,
it is riders that come to us
that might not oftentimes ride a train,
so may not hear those announcements or see that.
So our biggest challenge, I think, will be,
how do we make sure we're getting to those folks
that are using it for that other trip?
And that's just a matter of continuing
just to get the word out as much as we can,
to the degree of almost like what we had for the I-10 closure is that you know
everybody knew about it
we're not the I-10 but we want to make sure everybody hears the word
any further comments?
Seeing none my comments are to say thank you to staff and everyone
responding to that emergency so fast
and the good news we've heard about our finances on some of our
lines being better and not only as to better revenue and
ridership but also lower costs so great team and so thank all of you for the
work you've been doing. With that we are adjourned.