September 2, 2014

Dear Reader:
I thought I would write and give you some updates on what’s been happening at BART and in District 7 for the past little bit.  There’s a bit of information, so I tried to section this e-newsletter off with headers so that you can just read what’s relevant or of interest to you.  Topics include:

• Short-Range Transit Plan, Capital Improvement Program
• New BART Watch App, BART Alerts
• Cleanliness at BART Stations
• BART Board Eliminates Lifetime Pass Benefits for Board Members and Their Dependents
• Contra Costa Transportation Authority Hosts Public Workshops

How should BART prioritize its operations over the next ten years?  Every so often, the Bay Area’s transit operators are required to produce a Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) and Capital Improvement Program (CIP) detailing what their operating and capital improvement plans are for the next ten (10) years, respectively.  Generally speaking, the goals in our latest SRTP and CIP are to maintain the frequency and greater-than 90% on-time performance of our system, but to also invest in bringing our system's assets to a sustainable state.

When it comes to operations, BART may score in the “OK” range.  There is a projected gap between available and needed operations funding of $6M in fiscal year 2016 (FY16), which is expected to grow to a cumulative value of around $80M by FY24.  This represents a 5% shortfall over the ten year timeframe with no one year experiencing more than a 7% short-fall – which, honestly, is not too bad for a public agency.

However, when BART’s State of Good Repair (SOGR) needs – a fancy term for bringing our asset and maintenance needs up to par – are considered, our CIP is in a less ideal shape.  Bringing BART’s infrastructure up to appropriate standards and keeping them there is projected to require $9.6B over the next ten years.  With only $4.8B identified, there is about a 50% shortage in these funding needs over the next ten years.

You can access a summary of the SRTP/CIP by clicking here (link) or review the full SRTP/CIP by clicking here (link).  And if you have ideas or comments, feel welcome to email them to us.

As promised, on August 28, BART launched its new mobile app, BART Watch, which allows riders to quietly/discreetly report disruptive and suspicious activities on BART.  The app is easy-to-use and available through both the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.  In addition to being easy-to-use, if you need to send BART Police a picture of the incident that you are reporting, the app will proactively disable the flash of your camera so that you can take the picture discreetly and then send it with your report.  Learn more by reviewing the BART Press Release or clicking the image to the right.

In addition to the new BART Watch App, BART recently expanded the types of alerts that you can sign up to receive through our email and text alert system.  The system now allows you to sign up to receive BART Board meeting notices (including agendas).  In addition to Board meeting notices, other alerts that you can sign up for are BART Service Advisories (BSAs), BART news stories, and more.  Sign up by going to BART's email and text alerts page.

Over the course of less than two weeks, I received at least five emails relating to our stations being in unacceptable cleanliness condition.  You may have already read the recent San Francisco Chronicle article about the unfortunate circumstances at the Civic Center BART Station in San Francisco, where customers regularly have to deal with the sight and stench of urine and fecal remains as they enter/exit the station.  Too regularly, the Ohlone Greenway through the El Cerrito del Norte Station is congested of liter mixed in with ivy and tree leaves.  The list goes on!  Station cleanliness is, unfortunately, a system-wide problem.

These latest incidences follow my June 24 e-newsletter in which I described this being one of the top few issues voiced by BART customers.  In part, this is a resources issue that resulted from BART cutting the employees in our cleaning departments during the recession and those departments never recovering.  Quoting from that e-newsletter, “compared to 2002, when BART had 39 stations, customers made 310,725 average weekday trips, and we had 143 System Service Workers (our version of janitors); in 2013, those numbers were 44, 387,054, and 109, respectively.   Put differently, a 13% increase in stations and 25% increase in passenger volumes was met with a 24% reduction in System Service Workers.  Previously, most stations had a System Service Worker assigned exclusively to that station.  Today, several stations share a System Service Worker who must travel back/forth between the stations he/she oversees for that day.  In some cases, this results in a given station having only one-third of a System Service Worker’s attention for the day.”

Even still, some BART Directors, including me, are working with staff to see if there is room to improve our effective and efficient use of our limited resources.  At the August 14 meeting of the Board of Director’s, I requested staff to provide the Board a future presentation on the performance standards used to ensure proper maintenance of our stations and how accountability is maintained when those standards are not met.  At the August 28 Board meeting, I was informed that this presentation is tentatively scheduled to be made to the Board in either January or February – potentially at a Board retreat.  In addition to receiving a summary about the status quo, Directors will also weigh in by requesting response to additional ideas for improvement.

All this is to say that Directors hear you and we are working with staff to see what can be done to improve this situation in the long term.

Chances are that you’ve already heard about the BART Board of Directors putting an end to the lifetime pass privileges that we and our spouses and dependents previously received after our putting in just one minute on the job!  The Contra Costa Times put an article out about this action (link).  I always questioned this perk, especially in my being a young Director with many years and many BART rides ahead of me that could potentially be at riders’ and taxpayers' expense - without legitimate justification.  In addition to Directors, all BART employees and their spouses and dependents are given this perk while on the job, as well as if they retire from BART after at least five years of service.  I voted against the original proposal of July 24 that merely required the fulfillment of two full terms on the Board, as it wasn’t strong enough.  Whether it be a day or eight years, what justifies a lifetime of free transportation when I leave office?  Fellow Directors who originally did support the July 24 proposal brought the matter back for reconsideration.  This second time around, I did support what we passed, which takes this benefit away from current and future Directors upon their separation from the District.  It is my hope that this decision is us “leading by example” and that it can set the stage for similar changes to benefits afforded to BART employees.

Are you a fan of wBART?  Want improved express bus services in West Contra Costa County?  Better local bus service?  Something else transportation-related?  If you live in West Contra Costa County, you may find interest in participating in one of the two public workshops that the Contra Costa Transportation Authority is hosting in the area.  The workshops are meant to engage the public in the planning of the county’s Countywide Transportation Plan.  Dates and times of the workshops are below.  You can also provide your input by accessing CCTA’s online survey about the effort (link).  A complete flier with details can be accessed here (link).

Dates/Times of Local Meetings:

• Saturday, September 20, 2014 at 1:30pm: Richmond Convention Center, Bermuda Room (enter from Nevin Street), 403 Civic Center Plaza, Richmond
• Monday, September 22, 2014 at 7pm: Hercules Community Center (Gym), 2001 Refugio Valley Road, Hercules
• Tuesday, September 23, 2014 at 6pm: Telephone Town Hall - Dial 877-229-8493 and pin #1126642 when prompted

That’s my latest update for now.  Thanks for reading!

Sincerely yours,

Zakhary Mallett, MCP
Director, District 7
San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District