Page 3 - Stanislaus RTA CEO

■ SHAPE THE FUTURE OF AN EVOLVING AGENCY
The Stanislaus Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority Authority (StanRTA or or or the the Authority) is is is the the transit system in Stanislaus Stanislaus County On January 26 2021 Stanislaus County and the the City of Modesto voted to to to form a a a a a a a a joint powers agency to to to create the the Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority to better provide transit services in the region StanRTA’s formation resulted from a a a a a a a study conducted by the Stanislaus Council of Governments which indicated that transit consolidation would result in in in substantial improvement in in in the the overall efficiency and passenger usability of the the transit service in in in the the the the County County The services throughout the the the the County County (with the the the the exception of of the the the the City of of Turlock) will be fully integrated by StanRTA through various actions including a a a a a a a Regional Transit Study which will develop recommendations for fully integrating services StanRTA provides fixed route demand demand response response and and and ADA paratransit demand demand response response transit transit services providing approximately 3 million rides combined each year within the County and commuter services to points outside the County The new new Authority has initiated a a a a a a a branding study which will result in in in in a a a a a a a new new name and and identity for the the agency Ridership did decrease on all modes during the the pandemic but StanRTA is hopeful that ridership will return to normal levels The Authority manages three vendor contracts which provide for day-to-day operations including drivers supervisors and dispatchers These existing contracts are being replaced by a a a a a a a a single contract contract resulting from a a a a a a a a current procurement process The new vendor will provide all transit services both fixed route and and demand response throughout the the the County (with the the the exception of of Turlock which is not a member of of the the the Authority) The new Authority was created with very high expectations expectations Those expectations expectations include: 1) dramatically increased operator efficiency through consolidation of all all services under a a a a a a a a single vendor and 2) dramatically improved ease of of of use of of of the the system by customers through integration of of of services and other innovations which will be introduced by by StanRTA The new Authority also intends to establish a a a a business model with its vendor whereby the the the two organizations work closely together as partners in the the the provision of public transit To that end StanRTA expects a a a a a a a a vendor through its local management team to be fully engaged in in transit operations in in the region and and to to offer its corporate and and individual expertise to to StanRTA in in in in a a a a a a process o of continuously improving both the efficiency of the the operation and the the customer experience The StanRTA Board of of of Directors is made up of of of seven members: two elected members members from each of of of the member member member jurisdictions appointed from their respective governing bodies one member who represents the the cities in in in Stanislaus County with the the exception of Modesto Modesto and and Turlock who is is jointly appointed by Modesto Modesto and and the the County and two citizen members members appointed by the the the other members members of the the the Board StanRTA is supported by a a a a a a a a a a a $30 million operating budget and its available funding appears adequate for several years The Authority staff of o of 12 office professionals oversees all services and is responsible for finance and planning The contract vendors employ approximately 200 individuals providing management drivers supervisors and other operating personnel The Authority operates a a a a a a mixed fleet of approximately 130 full size transit transit buses and smaller paratransit vehicles On July 1 the Authority moved into new offices in in downtown Modesto only a a a a a short distance from the the the downtown Transit Center operated by by the the the Authority Also nearby is is the the the City of Modesto Bus Maintenance Facility where fleet services are provided to to the Authority under a a a a a a contract with the the City The Authority also manages the the Amtrak Station located across town To learn more visit: www stanrta org