Earlier this year, Assemblymember Marc Berman introduced Assembly Bill 1091, which proposed major reforms to the structure of the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) board of directors. Though the bill was tabled earlier this month, it is worth discussing the potential benefits of restructuring the VTA board, as well as opportunities for future reform.
Read MoreNext week, there are two important opportunities to speak up in support of seamless transit and the policy reforms that can make it a reality.
Read MoreLast week, Seamless Bay Area brought together a dynamic panel of experts for a webinar about the key features and benefits of centralized transit network management in the Bay Area and around the world.
Read MoreMTC has just released draft principles for the allocation of the third round of emergency federal funding from the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, approved by President Biden in March 2021, focusing on stabilizing agency budgets, restoring service, and improving customer experience.
Read MoreGolden Gate Bridge Highway & Transportation District is creating a permanent new design for the Transit Center. The San Rafael City Council meeting on April 19 is an important opportunity to get acquainted with the proposals and speak up for seamless transit connectivity and engaging urban design.
Read MoreSeamless Bay Area has released a new report, Governing Transit Seamlessly: Options for a Bay Area Transportation Network Manager, that outlines four potential options for a Bay Area transit network manager that could help bring transformative change to our transit system. This report is the culmination of years of research, interviews, and advocacy on how to restructure our region’s transportation institutions.
Read MoreTwo weeks ago, we launched a Kickstarter campaign for Connect the Bay our the Bay Area’s first seamless transit board game. We are proud to report that in just two weeks, 109 people have signed up to back the game on Kickstarter! We’re now aiming to hit 250 backers by April 18, the final day of our Kickstarter campaign.
Read MoreToday Assemblymember David Chiu announced AB 629, the Seamless and Resilient Bay Area Transit Act, a new bill to advance integration of the region’s 27 transit systems that builds off the work of the region’s Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force.
Read MoreThe long-awaited second transbay crossing is a step closer to reality. Link21 will likely be the single largest Bay Area infrastructure project of the next few decades. At the time of writing, it is still in the very early stages of planning. Little has been defined about the project beyond it being a new passenger rail tunnel between Oakland and San Francisco. But what we do know is that Link21 can revolutionize Bay Area transportation, if the project is governed and designed wisely.
Read MoreSeamless Bay Area has partnered with Alfred Twu to design Connect the Bay, the region’s first seamless transit board game, in which players compete to create an integrated transit network to help Bay Area residents and visitors travel seamlessly around the region.
Read MoreRiders can play an important role in speaking up in support of fully studying regional governance options that support a more seamless, integrated regional system at today’s meeting, scheduled for 1pm today.
On Tuesday, February 16th, the regional Fare Integration Task Force achieved a significant milestone by approving a robust set of options for more convenient, affordable, and predictable fares to be studied. Out of an initial long list of 23 different fare integration options, 6 were shortlisted for in-depth study. The shortlisted fare integration options will be evaluated on their potential to drive three desired objectives: increasing ridership, improving equity, and reducing driving.
Read MoreThe San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority, or WETA - the transit agency that manages many of the Bay Area passenger ferries - has adopted a set of equity and connectivity principles to guide its efforts to recover from the impacts of the Covid pandemic.
Read MoreOn Tuesday at 1pm, the regional Fare Integration study has a major milestone - deciding which options for more convenient, affordable, predictable fares will be studied in depth. Can you give public comment , or send a note to the Fare Integration Task Force and boards of agencies you use?
Read MoreAt its meeting on February 11, the BART board discussed the region’s fare integration initiative. Board members expressed strong support for the initiative. Director Saltzman commented "this is our opportunity to be bold, and I hope you will join me in being open-minded."
Read MoreOn Thursday, January 28, the BART Board heard an agenda item about transit network coordination and the ongoing work of the Bay Area Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task Force. BART Board members, who recently voted to approve the Seamless Transit Principles, expressed strong interest in being engaged in the topic, and a desire for well-coordinated discussions on the topic of regional transit coordination.
Read MoreSeamless does not believe that the Clipper Executive Board is a good model to govern transit network coordination, fundamentally because it is a body composed of executive staff who report to separate boards, rather than being a board of policymakers.
Read MoreWe’re often asked why MTC isn’t already functioning as the Bay Area’s network manager, coordinating fares, service, and branding. In this post we explore what powers MTC already has, and three key problems with MTC and the region’s transit governance that prevent it from functioning as an effective network manager.
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