Antelope , CA:
hello, will there be any updates on what walker and associates are planning on doing/changing in the sacramento area?
Reply: Yes, there will be extensive public outreach and reports back to the SacRT Board. You can also follow the status on our website, www.sacrt.com.
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Sacramento, CA:
Hello, I was wondering if the funding situation were to impove in the next year would you consider lowering the basic monthly pass fare as the increase has hit a lot of people a bit too hard.
Shawn (twitter: @wildarms007)
Reply: We do not anticipate any significant increase in operating funding available to SacRT over the next year. In fact, transportation funding is in jeopardy over a recall effort for SB 1 funding that may be on the fall ballot. Because of the continued uncertain economic climate. SacRT has no immediate plans to change the fare structure beyond what we recently implemented for students.
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Folsom, CA:
Regarding the expansion of the Gold Line to Folsom. 1) When will construction of the second track begin? 2) Will the track be extended all the way from Becks furniture to Sutter Street Station? 3)Will the Folsom stations remain operational during the construction?
Reply: Extended late night service to Folsom begins June 17. The construction of the track necessary to operate 15 minute service and the acquisition of the light rail vehicles necessary to operate this service will take approximately 3 years to design and construct as well as to purchase the vehicles. The vehicles alone will take about 2 years to build once we are under contract.
The plan is to not to double track the entire distance from Becks Furniture to Historic Sutter Street. We can operate a 15 minute service frequency by strategically placing double track sections at passing points along the line. This approach will be much less expensive to construct and will substantially speed up the project. This will also minimize the impact on stations during the construction period.
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Sacramento, CA:
May I use my monthly pass or daily pass for the Microtransit? Or do I need to pay additional fare?
Do the microtransit busses have bicycle racks so I can store my bike? Thank you.
Reply: Our SmaRT Ride, microtransit service, operates with the same fare structure as the rest of the SacRT system. So, yes your can use your daily or monthly pass to use SmaRT Ride. Our current buses do have bicycle racks so you can travel with your bike.
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FAIR OAKS, CA:
I have a monthly connect card and take light rail twice a day. Is there a limit on the number of times that I can use the connect card in a day with my monthly pass? There have been a few times that I would like to take light rail to a construction site, but decided to take a Fleet vehicle since I wasn't sure how many times the Connect Card (monthly pass) can be used in a day. Can I be ticketed if I forget to scan the card once with the monthly pass? I truly appreciate seeing the Transit Officers aboard the train during the commute hours. Thanks.
Reply: There is no limit to the number of times that you can tap in your monthly pass in a day. Monthly passes are eligible for unlimited boardings during the month that the pass is valid. Tapping your card simplifies the fare inspection process for everyone. If you forget to tap and have purchased a monthly pass you will not receive a citation, however, we strongly encourage you to tap before boarding to help ease the fare inspection process for everyone.
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Fair Oaks, CA:
For the second time this week the Sac-RT train I was on (Blue-line outbound to Watt-I-80 w/ pickup at 8th & O @ 4:14pm) KICKED/FORCED everyone off at Marconi/Arcade after sitting at the Marconi/Arcade station for several minutes, then reversed direction.
This is so wrong-headed, what should have happened if the train REALLY needed to be reversed was to proceed to the Roseville Rd. station (the next station), THEN reverse direction. Reasons this is a MUCH better option:
1) ~80% of the passengers/customers on the train at that point get off at the Roseville Rd. station anyway, so this would inconvenience the least amount of passengers/customers. For the time it was sitting idle at Marconi/Arcade it could have easily gone to Roseville Rd. and back and would NOT have impeded any other train while doing so, nor would it have put the train behind its ‘new’ schedule any further than doing what it did.
2) By switching direction at Roseville Rd. (where the tracks transition from 2 to 1 anyway) instead of Marconi/Arcade the train is not blocking the track by going the wrong way on the track until it can switch to the other track, thus causing further delays for other trains.
There was nothing mechanically wrong with these trains, it was announced that another train (at Watt/I-80) was having problems so there was no need, nor did this train go out of service at the yards.
Please make these changes in procedure effective immediately.
I would appreciate your response.
Reply: I agree with you, this is not a customer friendly practice, particularly when the train is so close to the end of the line. It is done to improve the on time performance of the system overall. This happens when something has caused a service disruption and the trains are operating behind schedule. Turning a train at Marconi allows for the train to start its return trip on time, or close it, which improves system reliability over all. We really try and minimize this, particularly during commute times but it does happen from time to time.
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Sacramento , CA:
Will there be more trains added to rush hour schedule and/or expand the cars more? Make the inside of the train bigger? It would be nice to have more room on trains and not get pushed around/threatened with violence by other people.
Reply: We can't make the cars larger, but we were just awarded $84 million in grant money to replace 20 light rail cars and add trips to the Gold Line at rush hour.
http://www.masstransitmag.com/press_release/12409951/sacrt-awarded-84-million-for-new-light-rail-trains-and-double-tracking-to-folsom
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Sacramento, CA:
I would like to put this out there as a college student who interns for the state. This is just my input/feedback for potential consideration in your ROS study. Many students from Los Rios and Sac State use public transportation to go their internships with the state and knowing Sacramento, the students come from a low income background and don't have the money to park in Downtown or other areas since they get charge. Just putting it out there.
Is it possible to have more bus routes that stops and stops by all the state government agencies in downtown Sacramento, Arden area, Natomas area, and Rancho Cordova areas?
Reply: SacRT has launched an effort to take a blank slate look at our bus network and to imagine a redesign. This effort is called SacRT Forward and will make recommendations based on regional travel patterns. We also understand the importance of transit for students. To that end, at the beginning of the year we reduced student fare to $20 a month from $55. Furthermore, we recently were awarded $12 million from the Sacramento Transportation Authority to expand our SmaRT Ride service to various communities throughout the region. We hope that this convenient service will serve as a first last mile connector to those riders who plan to connect to the rest of the transit system via light rail
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Sacramento , CA:
Will the student bus pass still remain $20 a month for July and August? (My son attends summer camp and needs his bus pass, but if the price of the pass will increase he may not participate.)
Reply: The SacRT Board will vote in June on whether or not permanently adopt the $20 monthly pass price for Students. However, in addition to this, the SacRT Board recently approved a Student Summer Monthly pass (available on Connect Card and ZipPass) that is valid for the months of July and August for one low price of $30. Your son can certainly take advantage of that for his Summer Camp.
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Hayward, CA:
I recently bought a Connect Card for my travels in Sacramento and think it's an awesome idea for all my transit fare needs without the need for cash. However, I think that there needs to be transfer options for people who don't use a daily pass, say I tapped on a bus on Regional transit, then I got on a Roseville Transit or Placer County transit bus. There should be a transfer fare discount at the very least. Not everyone wants to exhaust a daily pass option.
Reply: The Connect Card and other electronic fare options certainly give us the opportunity to explore fare structure options that simply weren't available to us in the past. Ideas like this and others are certainly things that we can consider, but will require participation from our transfer partners as well. Currently, SacRT and our Connect Card partners are focused on ensuring the system supports each agencies fare structure as it stands today. As the system grows we will definitely consider new fare options that will help to better serve our riders.
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Natomas, CA:
Can Los Rios students use the microtransit with our ID and bus sticker?
Reply: Yes, SmaRTRide accepts all SacRT fare media.
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Folsom, CA:
I took light rail a month ago for a concert at the new arena. I was rather taken back by my experience - it was unclean and I actually felt unsafe at times due to some of the other passengers - some clearly have mental health issues, some smelled so bad, and one was yelling at the door the entire trip. I won't be taking light rail again soon. Is this the experience you want to provide? If not, what are you doing to correct it? We pay for light rail through tax, we should be able to use it. Its sad a small group of people ruin it for ALL of us.
Reply: I apologize for your experience. Since I became CEO I have prioritized safety and security and made my customers my top priority. We recently installed a new light rail wash and have hired new Transit Agents to add increased presence on our trains and ensure that all riders have paid fare.
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Natomas, CA:
How will my sons summer pass be added onto his Connect Card as usual? Or do I have to make a separate purchase for the July-August pass?
Reply: The Summer Pass will be a separate purchase option. It was posted on the Connect Card website today. Look for the RT Student Summer Pass with a price point of $30. The pass will be valid for unlimited trips during the months of July and August.
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Folsom, CA:
I have a question and/or need clarification on the new and upcoming Folsom late night service. Does the new timetable mean that for Golden 1 Center events like Kings games, that there will be no “special service” as Folsom will now have late night “regular” service instead? By the way, the first Kings event will be the NBA Draft on June 21st, followed by California Summer League Classic July 2, 3, and 5. Do these Kings events at the arena now mean “regular” service versus “special” service for Folsom residents? Thank you.
Reply: SacRT still intends to provide special take-away service following major events and Kings home games. Also, if an event goes past these extended hours, SacRT will provide service to accommodate riders. SacRT is not planning to provide any extra service for the June 21 NBA Draft. Special service for July has not yet been determined.
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Sacramento, CA:
What is the status on the ROS?
Reply: Last month, we had an extensive conversation with our Board of Directors during a planning retreat, where we discussed some of the key tradeoffs that happen in a project like the Route Optimization (which we're now call in SacRT Forward). The big tradeoff is always between coverage and frequency. We will need to decide whether we want a little bit of service spread out to more places, or more frequent service concentrated in fewer places where there is more ridership or greater need. Next week will be a big week for us. We will be doing a full-week design blitz with our consultants, our route planners, our schedulers, and technical staff from the local cities we serve (plus the county). We'll be looking at every route in the system and taking a "blank slate" approach to designing the system from the bottom up.
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Sacramento, CA:
Good afternoon...
1. What is going on with the Watt I80 light rail station elevators!!?? Frequently out of order, hard on folks with bikes or arthritis shuttle is too slow.
2. First mile last mile issues with many stops. Will sacRt partner with ride share or Jump bikes in other areas not in the west or downtown district?
Thanks SO much for the increased security on trains and especially at the watt I80 station!! Don’t let up !
Reply: Thank you, we have put a lot of effort into increased security. The elevators at Watt I/80 are worn out and suffer from a lot of public abuse. So much so that we went through an extensive public out reach process to determine if there was a better way to serve this location that would eliminate the need for the elevators. We didn't find one that would fully serve the needs of our customers. So, we are now proceeding with the replacement of the elevators. It will cost approximately $1,000,000 to replace both elevators and about one year to complete.
While our study did not find a way to eliminate the elevators, it did make a number of recommendations to open up the waiting areas and improve the customer experience overall. These improvements are not currently funded, but we are actively looking for funding opportunities to make these improvements.
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Sacramento , CA:
WHY is there no one-day grace period for student pass holders, as opposed to RT pass-holders?
We paid our fare, as well.
Reply: SacRT's fare structure allows for a grace day on monthly pass purchases only. Prior to the Connect Card, the student passes were only available as a semi-month sticker which does not allow for a grace day. The full fare semi-monthly pass also does not allow for a grace day. Students can now purchase a monthly pass on a Connect Card that will come with a grace day at the end of the month.
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Citrus Heights, CA:
What is the status and timeline as it stands now regarding the route optimization study? What’s next for this project during the summer months?
Reply: We are continuing the Public Involvement Process and getting tremendous feedback from the community. In April the consultant team provided a Transit Choices Report which is posted on our SacRTFoward website. A lot of the technical analysis will be done during the summer and we plan to host a number of community open houses in the Fall. We anticipate Board action sometime in the Winter time frame.
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Sacramento, CA:
How much do you guys collaborate with Elk Grove Transit?
Reply: We have a great partnership with the City of Elk Grove, who runs the e-Tran bus system, which covers the shared-use of space at our Cosumnes River College station, transfer policies and reimbursements, capital planning for South Line Phase 3 (i.e., light rail into Elk Grove), paratransit transfers, and lots of other things. The City also has a seat on our Board of Directors which is currently occupied by Councilmember Pat Hume, who has been a great advocate for transit here and throughout the region!
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Sacramento, CA:
Will there another bus route that goes to Delta Shores on the weekends, maybe from CRC to Delta Shores?
Reply: We don't have plans for more bus service to Delta Shores at this time.
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Sacramento, CA:
Will there be surveys coming out to the stations so people can give feedback or their input on how the buses and trains can be improve for the ROS study?
Reply: We actually just concluded a round of eleven pop-up workshops on our Route Optimization where we solicited input from our riders and the general public. But you're always welcome to send in your comments to sacrtforward@sacrt.com.
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Folsom, CA:
What happened to the Security/Transit Officers on the Gold Line? The afternoon Folsom train (#27 - Departs Sac Valley Station 3:19 pm) hasn't had a Transit Officer on board to check tickets/passes in TWO MONTHS.
Reply: Thank you for your observation. We are working to have Transit Agents on almost every train in service. The Transit Agent who was assigned to that shift is no longer with us, leaving a vacancy. We have hired a new employee to fill that spot. That employee will be in position Mid June.
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Rancho Cordova , CA:
Why can’t RT police check disability cards to be able to sit in front car?
I am disabled and I can never get a seat because to many people sit there who are not disabled or old.
Reply: Unfortunately the law states that Transit Agents can only request a person to move who is sitting in the disabled area. A Police Officer or Transit Officer is able to issue a citation for this violation, however Transit Agents are not. I would suggest that you ask for a Transit Agent to ask people to move sitting in the disabled area as they are able to assist with that.
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CA:
Have you consider asking the colleges around the greater Sacramento area to help contribute to the cost of improving the RT system? A lot of students use it and it is very beneficial for them.
Reply: CSUS and Los Rios students have built in transportation fees as part of their registration that comes to SacRT in the form of fare revenue. Other college students contribute by purchasing their own fares.
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Sacramento , CA:
When will Bus Route 11 (that caters to Natomas) schedule change to longer hours (in the evening) Monday-Saturday? Will there be a Sunday service? Will the route ever run every half hour?
Reply: We don't have plans to do that right now, but as part of our SacRT Forward project, we are looking at every route in the system from the ground up, including our bus service to Natomas (i.e., Route 11).
SacRT Forward
http://www.sacrt.com/apps/sacrtforward/
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SAC, CA:
do you think a homeless shelter located within 700 feet of an RT stop would increase or decrease ridership? Does the presence of homeless folks increase or decrease ridership?
Reply: I would think that a homeless shelter in close proximity might increase ridership. A homeless shelter is there to help the people living there get back on their feet, which often means attending appointments. Public transportation can aide in that need.
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Antelope, CA:
I ride lightrail daily from North Sacramento and work downtown. Quite often there are only 2-3 trains during commute hours. Many riders have to stand. Is there any plans on increasing the number of cars for your customers' comfort?
Reply: We are struggling with a very old light rail fleet, over a third of our fleet have reached the end of their useful life. While still safe to operate, these vehicles tend to be out of service more frequently and for a longer period of time and as a result we run short of vehicles to operate 4 car trains through out the system. We recently received State funding, a part of which will allow us to begin the replacement of our oldest vehicles. We continue to look for additional funding to fully meet our vehicle replacement needs.
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Sacramento, CA:
How much does it cost to in a bus's frequency to show up? For example, I believe that bus 30 is every 15 minute then stops that and goes 30 minutes after 7.
Reply: As a rule of thumb, when you double the frequency of a route you double the cost to run it. So when we go from 15 minutes to every 30 minutes, that cuts the cost in half.
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Sacramento, CA:
Have you consider going to local college and schools to get the student's input about improving the transit?
Reply: Absolutely. We value feedback from the community and have established partnerships with the school districts, community colleges and universities. We recently reduced the price of our student pass in effort to attract new riders. We are are in the midst of our route optimization effort and would love any input from students. Please visit sacrtforward.com to learn more.
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Sacramento, CA:
What is the budget to help improve to transit?
Reply: SacRT receives 1/6th of 1 penny in sales tax revenue. Similar sized transit agencies received approximately five times more in local support. For SacRT to expand service and upgrade our fleet, we will need a higher share of local investment.
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South Sacramento , CA:
Multi-part question. Do you have any idea regarding the ridership and financial numbers (i.e. surplus) ending for the fiscal year? If so, what is the agency doing with the numbers as well as possible additional funding from the state budget?
Reply: Staff provides a financial update to the Board each month. As of April, SacRT revenues were approximately $2.3 million greater than expenses in FY18. Ridership has continued to decline slightly throughout the year. Staff will be taking a proposed FY19 budget to the Board in June for adoption.
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Sacramento , CA:
I am handicapped and elderly and there are so many people with carts that the take up the whole section. Why are they not required to take them where the bikes are? Also mostly young people are sitting in the handicapped section and I cannot get a seat. Why don’t the drivers or RT guards enforce the RT Ordinance 15.5F.2. It is the LAW that these seats are reserved for elderly and people who are handicapped? Please have them enforce the Law! Thank you
Reply: Unfortunately Transit Agents do not have the authority to take enforcement action on this violation. Police Officers have the authority to enforce this. I would suggest that you call the Security Operations Center if this happens and inconveniences you. They will dispatch a police officer who can take enforcement action.
916 556-0275
They can also be contacted by downloading the Alert Sac RT application if you have a smart phone. You will be able to text tip the information to the Security Operations Center if you prefer.
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Sacramento, CA:
When does SacRT begin bus service to the Sacramento International Airport? Will it be before or after Shasta Regional Transportation Agency starts up their Interstate Five North State Bus Service, which I was told by the California State Transportation Agency will be no sooner than October 2019 at the earliest. Sacramento International Airport will be a stop along the new Shasta North State Bus Route, along with 7th & Capitol, and Sacramento Valley Station.
Reply: SacRT is aggressively pursuing all grant funding to allow us to expand service. We hope that we can find funding to support a route to the Sacramento International Airport, but have not been able to identify funds. Serving the growing airport is a priority for us in the future.
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Antelope, CA:
Can we get Antelope bus service back?
Reply: That's something we're definitely looking at with our SacRT Forward project. Antelope is an area with a lot of potential transit users, but it is also located at the far end of our coverage network, so it has gone with very minimal transit service for some time now. If you check out our Choices Report, you'll notice that over the last twenty years, it is one of the largest growth areas in the county. But with SacRT's limited budget it's impossible to serve a large area and have high-quality, frequent service everywhere.
I'd encourage you to check out our SacRT Forward Choices Report:
http://www.sacrt.com/apps/wp-content/uploads/SacRT-Transit-Choices-Report-small-file.pdf
It provides a lengthy discussion on what goes into a network. The map showing population growth in Antelope is on Page 37.
SmaRT Ride currently serves the Antelope area. SmaRT Ride is SacRT's new on-demand transit shuttle service. SmaRT Ride enables customers to hail rides on smaller, neighborhood friendly-sized buses in real-time using a smartphone app. Similar to other ride-hailing models, a shuttle will pick up riders wherever they are and take them to the destination of their choosing within the designated service area. In your case, Citrus Heights, Orangevale, Antelope and to the Historic Folsom light rail station.
Customers are encouraged to download the free app called Microtransit from the App Store or Google Play to schedule a same-day trip anywhere within the service area. To better ensure that SmaRT Ride service is accessible to persons that may not have access to a smartphone, SacRT has dispatchers ready and waiting to accept phone (916-556-0258) and online (ondemand.transloc.com) reservations.
Regular SacRT fares apply and all fare media can be used. Visit http://www.sacrt.com/apps/smartride/ for additional linformation.
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Sacramento, CA:
Often when the light rail is stopped for extended amount of time the Operator doesn't communicate with the riders. Can we please have them keep us informed of anything that we need to know? Not just silence. We understand things happen but would just like to be informed.
Reply: Agreed and this is a requirement of our light rail operators. Making sure this happens is a supervision issue and we would appreciate your assistance as a rider in reporting this to us when it doesn't happen. You can report this via email to Customer Advocacy@sacrt.com
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Sacramento , CA:
Can Los Rios students ride the train to pick up our bus sticker (with Spring sticker) since today is the first (of the month) and our (UTP) passes are not available until today?
Reply: There is no grace day on the Los Rios semester sticker. You will need to have an alternative fare option if you wish to ride the bus or train to pick up your new pass.
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CA:
Since there are two different trains(Folsom and Sunrise) that goes ease to west, will you guys implement another train that goes north to south(CRC/Need another one) in the ROS discussion?
Reply: The ROS aka SacRT Forward is specifically looking at bus route redesign. No changes are planned for light rail at this time, other than the proposed Green Line expansion to the airport, and future plans for double tracking on the Gold Line between Sunrise and Historic Folsom.
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Sacramento, CA:
What are the plans for the Watt & Arden bus stop? The bench and sign have been missing for weeks leaving people to look like loiterers without signage and a place to sit at a non-shaded, scorching intersection.
Reply: Thank you for alerting me to this issue. I will immediately reach out to our Facilities team so that we can take action. It is important for the public to notify us when they see any issues with the system. You can also alert us through the AlertSacRT app.
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Sacramento, CA:
Hi Mr.Li, Has SacRT seen any noticeable increase in ridership since launching the discounted passes for students ? What is your cost per mile for light rail and buses ? How do we compare with similar transit systems ? Are you seeing any signs of improvement for funding from the county and/or other sources ?
Reply: Our ridership growth from our student discounts has actually been almost exactly what we forecast, which is that we're on pace to gain about a quarter million riders per year from this program. These gains have been offset by losses of ridership elsewhere in the system, but it's still great to see students making use of the program. We know that it is making a big difference in the household budgets of our customers and sales are up over 30%. As for our other performance metrics, please check out our monthly performance reports online:
http://sacrt.com/aboutrt/RTPerfReports.aspx
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Sacramento, CA:
How much do you guys have to pay if you guys extend bus hours/operations for certain buses like 65, the one that goes to Delta Shores and University/65th station?
Reply: Our annual costs Route 65 total about $450,000. That is the route from 65th Street station to Delta Shores. That is for hourly service Monday through Friday from about 6:00 a.m. to about 8:00 p.m. It takes two buses to run the route, and basically four bus drivers every day, plus relief drivers for their sick days, time off, vacation, etc.
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Sacramento, CA, CA:
RT has declared the former Lumberjack property surplus. The property was split into 2 parcels. The front half, facing Arden, is likely to be bought by an affordable housing developer. The back portion, near the railroad tracks, is more uncertain. The city has submitted a letter of intent, but a private developer has told SRT they would pay more than the city would offer. Can you please provide an update on this situation and answer this question: Would RT accept a lower bid from the city? Will you do what is in the best interest of RT or what is in the best interest of the city?
Reply: This is a policy matter before the SacRT Board. The issue has been continued to a future meeting but is not currently calendared Please stay tuned.
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FAIR OAKS, CA:
The Sacramento Bee reported that Folsom will be adding new housing just south of HWY 50 near East Bidwell. This will increase the population of Folsom by 33%. Is there a chance that the Developers be conditioned to put in light rail service toward that direction? Or, has anyone from RT mentioned that it would be a good idea to have rail service there?
Reply: There is a public transit plan and associated fees to pay for improvements for the proposed growth in Folsom I believe that the plan relies on bus service connecting to the existing light rail system.
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Sacramento, CA:
Good afternoon, what is going on with the elevators at the watt I80 light rail station? I know there is a shuttle but the shuttle is never there when I need to get up to the top platform, this is really hard on persons carrying groceries or bicycles or people with arthritis.
Second question, what is sack RT doing to assist with the 1st mile last mile problem that many of us have in regards to getting to a bus stop or a public transportation stop. Will SACRT partner with a rideshare service or perhaps partner with jump bike or Limebike or any of the other services that are eyeballing Sacramento and thinking of coming here? Last comment thank you so much for the increased security on the trains and stations. This has made my particular traveling on public transportation so much better than it was three years ago please don’t let up the added security and the ticket checking makes me feel much safer. The minute those things are cut would be the minute it all returns back to the way it was, thank you and keep up the good work.
Reply: Please see my earlier response concerning Watt I-80 and the status of the elevators.
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