State of California kicks off Transit Transformation Task Force

The SB125 Transit Transformation Task Force  – charged by the state legislature with studying the costs to operate and maintain public transportation over the next ten years and making recommendations regarding how to improve mobility and increase ridership on transit – hosted their inaugural meeting on December 19th. The task force includes 25 members, with representation from transit agencies, labor, business, academics, and nonprofits, as well as key staffers from the state administration and legislature. 

Nonprofits represented on the task force include Seamless Bay Area, Move LA, SPUR, Public Advocates, and Bay Area Council.

The task force has a broad mandate to study and make recommendations about policies and practices to improve transit, including performance metrics, workforce recruitment and retention, land use, transit priority, and pricing policies. 

In the kickoff meeting, task force members shared their priorities for topics for the agenda of the task force, including:

• An overall vision for public transit

• Learning from international best practices

• Needs and national/international practices for funding transit operations

• Needs for paratransit / accessibility for seniors and people with disabilities

• Safety and security for transit riders and operators

• Addressing state mandates for zero emissions vehicles

• Streamlining major capital project delivery

The task force will hold meetings every two months, with the next upcoming meeting in February.  The task force is required to submit a report of findings and policy recommendations to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on or before October 31, 2025.