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