Regional agency is seeking more transit control

Consolidated transit systems also received a high degree of participant support, but the ability for MTC to take action on such an initiative has stirred controversy among several commissioners and transit agencies, including Caltrain’s Board of Directors, which said it wants to see better fiscal and operational management of other transit agencies before entertaining such an idea. 

The MTC comprises representatives across nine Bay Area counties and oversees financing and coordination among the region’s numerous transit agencies, although transportation operators, such as BART, Caltrain and local bus systems, still maintain a high degree of independent operational control. Such an arrangement has its benefits, but with more than 220 members on transit governing boards across the region, it can also lead to stalled decision-making and ambiguity in the MTC’s enforcement abilities.

“To achieve the reforms we want to achieve, we need to do more … and that might mean reducing transit operators. That might mean strengthening MTC’s authority to do that. Those are the questions that I have that I hope the commission can talk about,” Commissioner Alfredo Pedroza said.

MTC Commissioner and Millbrae Councilmember Gina Papan, who has vocalized disapproval of a Caltrain and BART consolidation, agreed there need to be reforms, but said the commission is not taking advantage of authorities it currently possesses to hold agencies accountable for current performance, largely outlined in Resolution 3866, which allows MTC to place conditions on funding.  

“Maybe this body should stop bundling funds. Let’s pull out what every operator is getting … let’s see if they actually are being effective in what they’re doing. We already know some are and some aren’t,” Papan said. “[Resolution 3866] gives us a lot of power. We don’t use it. We don’t hold them accountable. We don’t say, ‘You didn’t coordinate schedules, therefore you’re not getting the funding.’ That’s what that resolution says, and we don’t do that.”

The voter poll presented to the committee generated controversy last week among some San Mateo County operators like Caltrain and SamTrans, as one of the questions — which garnered over half of participant support — included a question about a BART and Caltrain merger, which Peninsula transit agencies said should not have been included in the survey without further consultation with Caltrain, citing such an integration would have negative financial repercussions for county taxpayers. But commissioners still reiterated the need to explore all options.  

“I know the Caltrain BART thing is controversial … but I think it’s worth it that everything is on the table, and we have those discussions, so it would be good to know what authority we have and what authority we’d like to ask for,” Commissioner James Spering said. “We’re at the point where we have to start making some decisions. We can’t just continue to just talk about these issues.”

Staff will compile commissioners’ feedback and present a potential bill in January, including additional details on the possible reforms.