1/29/24: Feb 1st Happy Hour event & transit GMs reactions to Swiss transit report

Swiss Study Report Released

A joint report and presentation on the key findings from the study delegation to Switzerland was presented at the January Regional Network Management Council meeting. Transit General Managers had positive comments about the findings and our work facilitating the trip. 

Seamless Bay Area’s latest blog post summarizes the report’s findings and the response from General managers.

“[Switzerland] found the right combination of policies for achieving outcomes that are rider-focused across modes that riders and voters were convinced would make a difference in the overall transit network. Then they delivered on those promises and they’ve been successful time and time again.” WETA Executive Director Seamus Murphy said during the meeting. 

Seamless Bay Area collaborated on the report with transit agency staff - download the full report here. It documents Swiss practices of integrated timetables, service-based planning, infrastructure planning, and fare integration that are integral to the country’s success, and offers lessons learned for applying those practices to the Bay Area.

BART General Manager Robert Powers commented “this is just the beginning and we look forward to pivoting on this and building on it.”

If you want to read some more bite-sized pieces about the Swiss delegation, see our blog posts highlighting Switzerland’s nation-wide system of coordination, fare integration, and new funding and governance reforms.

February 1st, 6-8pm, San Francisco – Happy Hour with Jeff Wood, Urban Environmentalists & Streets for People

Join us at Elixir in SF’s Mission District this Thursday for a happy hour with other Bay Area advocacy groups Urban Environmentalists and Streets for People, and with the Overhead Wire's Jeff Wood – a local journalist who talks about cities and sustainable transportation with advocates, elected officials, researchers, and other interested parties.

Elixir has both indoor and outdoor space and is a short walk or roll from the 16th St BART station, BayWheels stations on Valencia, and several bus lines. The venue is accessible for individuals using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. 

February 20th, 12:30-1:30pm – What It Took to Win: Keeping Transit Moving Webinar 

SPUR is hosting a virtual discussion on the “Survive and Thrive Coalition” who successfully won $5 billion for temporary transit operations funding in last year’s California state budget. Facing a huge statewide deficit, this campaign was far from easy. Peek behind the scenes of this collective impact campaign to learn how local, regional, and state advocates worked together with public agencies to persuade elected officials to ensure the Bay Area keeps moving. Seamless Bay Area’s Policy Director Adina Levin is featured on the panel. 

The other event panelists are: 

  • Laura Tolkoff / Interim Chief Policy Officer & Transportation Policy Director, SPUR

  • Rebecca Long / Director, Legislation & Public Affairs, Bay Area Metro

  • Cyrus Hall / Independent Sustainable Transportation Advocate

  • Zack Deutsch-Gross / Policy Director, Transform CA

  • Raayan Mohtashemi / Legislative Aide, Office of California State Senator Scott Wiener

  • Monique Webster / Regional Government Affairs Manager, SFMTA

Check our new blog posts!

East Bay Paratransit looking to join One-Seat Ride Pilot Program

East Bay Paratransit is set to join MTC’s One-Seat Ride Pilot Program, creating a more seamless experience for riders taking trips that cross agency service boundaries and with potential cost savings for paratransit service providers. The One-Seat Ride program between four other East Bay agencies has increased on-time performance, decreased average dwell times, and decreased “no show” and cancellation rates. AC Transit plans to submit an application in April, around the time when MTC will open its call for pilot proposals.

Kaleo Mark