Candidate for
Director; Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District; Ward 3

Public transit is a service, not a business. It is like an ambulance service or like police services - maintaining ALL lines is critical. Shrink or expand time between busses to match service to funds available.

1. Create a fundamental policy change wherein no route is eliminated.

2. Create a Policy where reduced budget is answered by everyone sharing the pain.

3. Create a Policy where changing the time between arrivals is the budget balancing method (changing headway.)

4. Establish a Policy where all areas of the District have service at the same times as other areas. Eliminate disparity wherein some folks have service until midnight (even as much as 24 hours) and others have their service end at six or seven in the evening.

5. Correct areas with zero service on the weekends. Crowd commuters just a little to provide basic minimum service on weekends for all people in all areas.

6. Address other areas of social justice. For example, not using older equipment only in poor and minority areas.

7. Develop senior seating for bus and shelters. Seats a little softer and a little higher for our increasingly aging population.

8. Create a quiet diesel bus project. The standard diesel will be with us for a long time. Today they comply with "federal minimum standards". We must do better if we are to gain greater community acceptance, and if we are to expand night and weekend operations. For those who say we do not have the technology, please check the latest luxury car or SUV, they are quiet inside and out. We cannot continue to have these vehicles that are little more than industrial trucks hauling poor people. Innovation is easy, and we already have all the technology; all we need is the will.

9. Fare equity is an issue that needs attention. UC Berkeley students with the "ClassPass" pay about $4 a month for an AC Transit pass (sticker), with unending transfers. Cash folks pay $1.60 with one transfer. BART-Plus tickets at a minimum of $28, with $15 BART and $13 going to bus operators, gives you monthly $30 for BART and a pass on virtually all the Bay Area bus and light rail systems for just $1 over the AC Transit pass price of $55 for the 31-day pass.

10. Large businesses need to be given incentives like the Class-Pass for students to add ridership and funding. Active communications with city and business leaders is needed to expand use of "Commuter-Check" and the "Cash Out" parking reduction programs.

11. Needed is an overnight BART shuttle, between all stations in the BART system, when the system is not in operation. A general cooperative agreement would be needed between BART and all the area bus operators. This would add the needed connectivity to the Welfare to Work bus network where a person could accept a job farther away than currently possible, thus expanding employment opportunities for many people.

12. Critical as part of making the system accepted is a 24-7 information system. Late in the evening or on weekends people are left alone to try to call friends or family to get rides. The current "pick the system you want to talk to" needs to be revised with a front-end person.

13. Intermodal areas (where bus and BART meet) must be improved by creating large shelters or complete covers and amenities. MTC may need to take over these areas as their own, as these entities have mixed jurisdiction: BART, bus, rail, and some city and private ownerships are often involved.