This week in transit: Faith!

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT - FAITH WALKER

We are very grateful and excited to introduce RVA Rapid Transit's new Director of Community Engagement, Faith Walker! Faith's most recent claim to fame comes as the former Store Manager for the Front Porch Cafe in the Bon Secours Sarah Garland Jones Center in Richmond's East End. Faith has a long track record partnering with grassroots community leaders, business professionals, and neighborhood residents to advance healthy community outcomes. Faith also has a generative background in artistic marketing, creative advertisement, and social media outreach. Look for Faith around town, and for the near-term especially Zoom, driving forward the work of amplifying and advocating for bus riders' stories, concerns, and interests. Welcome Faith (faith@rvarapidtransit.org)!

CALL TO ACTION

HJ 542 - Transit Equity & Modernization Study: As you know, the Virginia General Assembly is in session. One key bill on the public transit front is "HJ 542 - Transit equity and modernization." Our friends at Virginia Interfaith Power and Light have an excellent overview of the billhere, and our friends at Virginia Transit Association summarize the bill's progress and how you can add in written public comment below:

• HJ 542 – Patron Delegate Delores McQuinn – Study; DRPT; transit equity and modernization; report. Requests DRPT to conduct a two-year study of transit equity and modernization in the Commonwealth. One of the first of its kind in the US. DRPT, with the cooperation of all transit agencies that receive state transit grant funding, shall complete a study of transit accessibility, adequacy of transit infrastructure, implementation of emerging technology, transit safety, and transit system engagement.

• Progress to date: The bill passed the House Rules Committee (17-1) and is up in the House Appropriations Committee's Transportation and Public Safety Subcommittee at 11 am on Friday, January 29. Should it pass the subcommittee, it'll immediately go to the Appropriations Committee at 1 pm on Friday, January 29.

• To Comment visit https://hodspeak.house.virginia.gov/committees/H02/bill_feedback; scroll to HJ 542 (near the bottom); check it and then click the blue NEXT box; lastly, fill out the form and click the green Submit Comments button.

Transit Justice Principles: As part of a national campaign for transit justice, TransitCenter has spearheaded the creation of a powerful core list of Transit Justice Principles to guide transit decisions at federal, state, and local levels. The principles highlight that Americans need transit that is: 1) Equitable, 2) Sustainable, 3) Economically Productive, 4) Safe and Accessible, and 5) Affordable. You can see more info through the link above and sign on in support of the Transit Justice Principles as individuals or as organizations.

AROUND THE REGION

Transit Equity Day, Feb 4: Mark your calendars for the virtual lunch & learn for Transit Equity Day 12-1 pm next Thurs, Feb 4! This event will include our very own Kendra Norrell, RVA Rapid Transit Board President, and is co-hosted by Sierra Club Virginia Chapter and the Coalition for Smarter Growth, with support from other groups: "Join us on Rosa Parks’ birthday for a discussion and Q&A on the need to improve, expand and fund equitable public transit. Hear from transit champions in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Charlottesville and Hampton Roads talk about challenges and potential solutions. This event is co-hosted by Sierra Club Virginia Chapter and the Coalition for Smarter Growth with support from other groups. Register here!"

CVTA Returns: The CVTA will have its next full meeting tomorrow morning (8:30 am Fri, Jan 29). You can see the agenda here and public participate here. This meeting will largely focus on next steps in the logistical, financial setup of the CVTA. It does include as well a resolution to select AECOM and the Eno Center for Transportation to undertake the "Transit Service Governance Report" (see agenda p. 37-39). In a nutshell, this report will evaluate the current governance structure of GRTC, evaluate the possibility of creating a Transportation District, and offer options on this front for consideration. That report is now due as soon as possible, but no later than June 30, 2021. More to come on this front.


Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit

This week in transit: Bring on 2021

THERE'S STILL TIME!

Before we hit 2021, don't forget to chip in your year-end donation to RVA Rapid Transit. Your support is critical to casting the vision and spurring the movement for regional transit! And as we know, frequent, far-reaching public transit helps folks lead healthier, more productive, and more interconnected lives.

AROUND THE REGION IN 2021

2021 will bring a host of developments and opportunities for growing public transit. COVID-19 has brought immense challenges to our region. It has also revealed how critical a service public transit is, especially for us locally. While many systems have seen dramatic reductions in ridership, GRTC's ridership has held very stably, dropping about 30% from 2019's levels for fixed-route service in the spring before being down just about 20% over the summer and fall. November's numbers were only down 12%, and most of the lost ridership to date has been on the Pulse (likely due to VCU being remote) and express routes (for a deep dive, see pg. 28 here).

This reality flows in line with the fact that folks need the bus! As the GRTC 2019 Passenger Survey highlights:

• 67% of riders surveyed did not have access to a car or motorcycle for the trip they were taking;

• 49% did not have a driver's license;

• 54% had a household income under $24,999, and 79% had a household income under $49,999.

Taking into account living wage calculations for Richmond, VA, and the fact that owning and operating a personal vehicle can cost upwards of $7,000-$10,000 annually according to AAA, at its core the ridership numbers have not dropped that far for GRTC because the public transit is an essential service. And folks need it to take essential trips for their everyday lives, even in the face of this pandemic.

So what is in store for 2021 to steward and grow this essential service? A lot of issues we'll be delving into throughout the year.

• Transit Governance: Under the auspices of the CVTA, PlanRVA will be spearheading a study of transit governance for the region in the new year. You can see the draft scope of work on pgs. 18-28 of the latest CVTA agenda. The target completion date for that report is in the spring (still a bit of a moving target), though the timeline could stretch to June 30, 2021, if/as needed. GRTC's Board currently consists of 3 board members annually appointed by Richmond City Council and 3 board members annually appointed by Chesterfield's Board of Supervisors. Needless to say, there are many moving parts to this governance puzzle. Above all, though, whatever comes out of the report (and via the respective deliberative wishes of the CVTA, our localities, GRTC itself, the state, the riders, all the above), it is crucial that GRTC's governance empowers and advocates for the growth and stewardship of the essential service GRTC daily provides with expertise, excellence, and care.

• Transit Funding for FY22: To bring the Greater RVA Transit Vision Plan to fruition by even just 2040 (literally a generation away...) will require steady, strong increases in GRTC's capital and operating funding year after year for the next two decades. Given this regional system would enormously benefit everyone right this red hot second, that kind of increase (and then some) is crucial for GRTC's FY22 budget. So how will Richmond City, Henrico, and Chesterfield allocate their respective CVTA funds (localities proportionally get 50% of the CVTA pie)? Where will GRTC focus the CVTA funds it directly receives for regional routes (15% of the CVTA pie)? And CVTA aside, how much will localities respectively allocate from their general budgets to support public transit for FY22? All key questions.

• Zero-Fare Consideration: For most of 2020, GRTC has been operating with zero fares in light of the pandemic. All things remaining equal, past CARES Act funding will enable GRTC to continue suspending fare collection through June 30, 2021. Given the demographics of who is primarily relying on the bus (see above) and the fact that another $1000+ dollars in riders' budgets each year (saved via no fares) would go a long way, there is talk afoot about whether it would be possible to continue operating without fares. This bold step would clearly require funding as well. GRTC has an excellent break down of zero-fare possibilities and other fare collection options/tradeoffs here: Fare Policy Considerations (Sept 2020 GRTC Board Meeting, see pg. 14-28).

For further overview of these possibilities and the year ahead, you can also check out Wyatt Gordon's solid article: "Is a North-South Pulse BRT the future of transit in Richmond?"

In closing, Chesapeake Climate Action Network and RVA Rapid Transit are hosting a series of webinars on the links between climate change and transportation. The next one is coming up12-1 pm on Thursday, January 7, and it features Stewart Schwartz and Del. Ibraheem Samirah discussing Transit Oriented Development! Mark your calendars and RSVP: "Transit Oriented Development for an Equitable Future."


Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit

This week in transit: #SavePublicTransit

Join the American Public Transportation Association's #SavePublicTransit campaign today, and call on Congress to provide at least $32 billion in emergency funding for public transit systems and the essential service they provide.

More info and content available here that's easily shared on social media.

AROUND THE REGION

At its meeting on December 4, the CVTA (Central Virginia Transportation Authority) approved the scope of work for the "Transit Governance Report" (see p. 18-28 of agenda). This will of course become a key document in deliberations about public transit governance moving forward for our region. The timeline for its completion has been pushed back a bit given COVID, with a new final date being no later than June 30, 2021 (though phases and portions of the report will likely be finished before that final deadline).

For those interested in digging in a bit more on this topic, the Eno Center for Transportation is hosting a webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, December 16, at 4 pm on transit governance: "Transit Governance Reform: Examples from Baltimore, Minneapolis, and Boston." TransitCenter also has a good report on the role of governance in regional transit.

Richmond City Council adopted the Richmond 300 Master Plan last night. Richmond 300 casts a powerful vision for transit and alternative modes of transportation, calling for Richmond to be a city that “prioritizes the movement of people over the movement of vehicles through a safe, reliable, equitable, and sustainable transportation network” — a city in which “walking, biking, and transit options are the most convenient and used forms of transportation” (see p. 108).

The key, as always, is implementing that vision by prioritizing people's capacity to get around by bus, bike, and foot in funding, zoning, etc. decisions. Clearly, the goal is for the whole region to catch the vision too! Come on Greater RVA Transit Vision Plan.

Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit

This week in transit: Faces of transit

AROUND THE STATE

Virginia Transit Association has created a powerful video highlighting the importance of public transit: Virginia Faces of Transit. Organizations are invited to join the Faces of Transit coalition to help highlight public transportation's key role in bolstering our economy, improving our environment, increasing equity, and connecting our communities.

AROUND THE REGION

The CVTA (Central Virginia Transportation Authority) has its next full meeting tomorrow morning at 8:30 am (Friday, December 4). You can see the agenda here, and as it is a virtual meeting, you can participate in a variety of ways. You can send written public comments to CVTA@PlanRVA.org or share them in the Zoom meeting itself during the public comment period (toward the beginning of the meeting).

One item under consideration will be the scope of work for the "Transit Service Governance Report" (see pgs. 21-28 of the agenda). The purpose of the report is "to determine if there are policies and processes in place to ensure accountability for the proper spending of CVTA regional transit funds and to identify options to guarantee accountability, if needed." The report's objectives are:

• To evaluate the governance structure of the Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC);

• To evaluate the establishment of a transportation district in the Richmond Region;

• To provide options related to GRTC governance and/or the establishment of a transportation district;

• To report the progress of such evaluation to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1, 2020 with a firm completion date of March 31, 2021.

This report clearly harbors significant implications for how public transit is and will be governed moving forward for our region. And if this scope of work is approved and the report stays on track, it will be completed by the end of March. Keep your eyes out for more information, and for some enjoyable/helpful reading on this front as well, check out TransitCenter's excellent study on transit governance best practices: "Getting to the Route of It: The Role of Governance in Regional Transit."

With COVID cases on the rise, please do remember that GRTC is still operating under COVID precautions (wear your mask, only ride for essential trips, zero fares, and social distance). You can see more information on recent COVID cases and the critical importance of following precautions here as GRTC works diligently to provide this essential service for our region.

Chris Gentilviso with the RTD also looks ahead to the post-COVID world and the robust benefits public transit affords in his recent editorial, "COVID-19 won’t stop the long-term economic impact of public transit."

ELSEWHERE (& HERE)

There are many"Transit is the Future" forums happening in cities around the country this week and next. You can join in these remotely through the link above. Be sure to check out the accompanying key list of Transit Justice Principles as well, which highlight the ways: "Abundant transit unlocks freedom of movement. When people can count on the bus or train to get where they need to go, they can easily access jobs, education, medical care, culture, goods and services, and the daily life of their communities."

In closing, there is also a newly charged bipartisan effort afoot for COVID-19 relief, which would include $45 billion for public transportation companies to continue to provide this essential service and weather current harsh economic realities (more details developing).


Nelson Reveley
Director of Operations, RVA Rapid Transit