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So everyone is aware we are live on the web.

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All right. Good morning to all attending the RTA's virtual meeting of the Board of Directors. The hour of nine has arrived and I will call us to order. Please turn off or close your computer cameras for the board that allows you to see our screen and presentation. Governor Pritzberg's emergency declaration remains enforced during the current COVID-19

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pandemic. My pursuant to his executive orders declaring a public health emergency and recent

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amendments to the Open Meeting Act, we continue to operate under the permission to conduct our

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meeting without physical attendance requirements. As the head of this public body, I find that

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declared it is not prudent or practical to hold an in-person meeting or to have staff or any

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member of the board at our headquarters during this meeting.

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I want to review the guidelines for our meeting today.

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First, keep your audio on mute as much as possible in order to minimize background noise,

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which may impair the recording.

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Again, as the secretary and the general counsel just told us,

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we are over the internet as well.

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When you have a question or comment, please raise your virtual hand.

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Audrey will call on board members who have raised their hands one at a time when the secretary

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calls on you, state your name before beginning so that your comments can be attributed to

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you in the record.

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When we get voting or get to a vote, please raise your hand to make a motion or a second.

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I'll prompt you, but the Audrey, the secretary will identify who's making the motion and

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the second for our record.

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Are there any questions at this time?

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Thank you.

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Super.

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Thank you.

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Secretary.

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With that said, I will now call this meeting as I did earlier to officially to order.

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And we will now recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

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Keep yourselves muted.

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Please.

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I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

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One nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

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Before we get into the regular agenda, I'd like to just say a couple of words about the photo that you see on your screen.

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It was inserted, in fact it was the largest photo in Sunday's tribute or remembrance of Governor Jim Thompson in the Chicago Tribune.

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As some of you may recall, especially depending on your age, Governor Thompson was in office in 1983 and signed the RTA reform legislation which paved the way for the modern day RTA as we know it.

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This includes the formation of metro and case to run consolidated rail and suburban bus

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operations. Historically, prior to the formation of this modern-day RTA system, private transit

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operators faced numerous financial issues over the years, which resulted in bankruptcies

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and complicating transit service in this region. But the structure of design in 1983 with

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governor Thompson at the helm and it's largely been able to stand the test of time, it's been

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remarkable how well it's worked, it has literally helped move billions of people to their offices,

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to school, to health appointments, and every other thing that we use transit for including tourism.

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And the 1983 Act has kept the trains, buses, and economy of this region moving,

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and then even COVID would stop that.

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So it was my honor to have worked for Governor Thompson.

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I was there in 1983, fresh out of law school

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as its legislative director.

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And, you know, we have lost several giants that recently,

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but Big Jim was literally a giant of a man literally

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and figuratively.

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And I think it's appropriate that every trans writer and all of us tip our hats to him as he was

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a visionary for creating the system that has worked so well through our region over the last

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40 or 50 years. With that, Madam Secretary, would you please call the roll? Certainly.

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Director

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Director Canton,

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Director Kerry, Director Colson, Director

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Fraga, Director

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Fuentes, Director Gaving, Director Grulvin, Director Holt, Director Cotel,

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Here. Director Lewis.

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Director Melvin. Here. Director Peng. Here. Director Ross.

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Here.

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Director Sagar.

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Here.

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Someone to claim mute if you're not called on Chairman

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Thank you.

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Great. Thank you, everybody, for as always, your excellent and outstanding attendance.

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Item 3A is the approval of the minutes from the meeting held on July 16th, 2020.

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Are there any comments or corrections that we need to make?

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No comments.

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If not, I will ask for a motion in a second to approve these minutes as submitted.

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Please remember to raise your virtual hand so Audrey can identify who is making the motion in the second.

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Director Kanti has moved and Director Groven has seconded.

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You can lower your hands please.

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Thank you.

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Madam Secretary, will you please take the role?

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Certainly.

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director and all feel director

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canty director

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canty can you unmute

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director

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canty can you hear me I can hear you you can't hear me I said yeah okay

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thank you director Kerry I director Colson I director Fraga director

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Director Fuentes.

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All right.

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Director Gavin.

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Yeah.

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Director Groven.

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Aye.

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Director Holt.

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Aye.

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Director Cotell.

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Aye.

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Director Lewis.

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Yes.

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Director Melvin.

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Yes.

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Director Payne.

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Director Payne.

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Director Payne, please.

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I have lost Director Payne's audio.

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phone, director Sagar.

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You forgot me, Audrey, J.D. Ross?

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Oh, I'm sorry, director Ross.

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Yes. Okay. Chairman Dillard. Yes.

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Director Payne, are you there?

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On the minutes, we have 15 eyes and one absence.

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Thank you. And that will be so recorded. Next is item 4. That's the public comment segment

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of the meeting. We've asked the public to submit comments via electronic mail. Any comments

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that we will, we have received will not be read into the record by the board secretary.

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Audrey, do we have any comments for today? Mr. Chairman, we have no comments received.

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Okay. Thank you. Next is item five. That's the Executive Directors Report.

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So, Lee and Rick, good morning. Good morning, everybody. Good to be with you again.

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In last month's meeting, Chairman Dillard echoed comments raised by Director Peng and Holt.

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Regarding the importance of communicating clearly about our region's response to COVID

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the effects on transit. And those comments are quite similar to what we're hearing as we work with

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business leaders, including the Greater Chicago and Chamber of Commerce. They tell us that economic

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recovery will depend on public transportation, yet they fear that the pandemic's financial toll on

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our transit system could stymie that the economy's ability to rebound. So my ED report this morning

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and large portions of today's agenda are really framed by that feedback that we received.

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So next slide, please.

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Despite so many unknowns about the pandemic, data analysis really must drive the responses as always.

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And as you'll hear in detail today, RTA staff have developed several data-driven scenarios that will be shared with stakeholders

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for anticipating potential economic outcomes

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and their impacts on transit.

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So, as you know, the RTA COVID Transit Dashboard

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available front and center on our website

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is updated continually to show the ongoing impacts

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of operations and revenues.

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Next slide, please.

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So, working jointly with transit agencies

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the City of Chicago and other stakeholders, the Chamber surveyed nearly 500 businesses

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that employ about 98,000 residents of our region.

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And the survey sent out in June, and I'm just going to give you kind of some highlights

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from the survey results from the business community.

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The survey found that prior to COVID-19, about 60% of business employees commuted by public

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transportation.

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many businesses were not sure at that time if and how they would bring back the majority of their workforces to their offices.

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We also found that less than half of all responding business plans to bring their employees back before 2021.

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Only one third of large businesses, so that's employing more than 500 people,

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plan to bring them back before 2021.

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And about 60% of companies plan to have staff alternate days in the office.

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And about 40% of companies plan to ship working hours,

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extend working hours, and shifting them to either earlier or later work in its start and end time.

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So please note that this is just a snapshot in time and it was done a little bit more than a month ago.

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and the numbers are extremely fluid due to the shifting factors of both sort of the health

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and the virus impacts as well as the economy. The need for masks and social distancing

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continue to be paramount, and writers also know that their health, writers also want to

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know that their health is being protected. A CTA and pace officials are here today, and

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and they will attest that their trained

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and vases have never been cleaner.

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Next slide, please.

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So on July 6th, WTGW Chicago tonight

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had my fellow transit executives and me

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as a panel to discuss COVID effects and recovery.

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This was a chance for all of us

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to describe the heroic efforts by transit workers

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who kept the system running

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so other essential workers could carry on.

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It is also a chance to describe the extensive cleaning and other safety measures by CTA

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Metro and PACE.

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And we talked about how the 1.4 billion of relief from the Federal Care Act has enabled

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operations to continue uninterrupted during 2020.

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We're going to try to run a short clip, which is a bit of an experiment running it through

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these multiple versions of technology. Please note that you will not see or hear it if you're

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participating by cell phones. So please mute your microphone and the video should last about two minutes.

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Well, as the other three ladies just indicated, we can get through.

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This is a broader issue in the tires more directly to when the economy comes back, and when people are back at work, people are back at school.

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We are very much prepared for this next round of relief money for the federal government.

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I can go ahead and ask you for that support. How much company specifically for all the Toronto agencies?

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Well, at this point, it's really hard to estimate exactly where we're spending for 2020,

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where we're showing about $900 million, not of a sort of crystal bowl, it's really difficult

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to predict, but I can tell you that there's numbers not pretty alarming, the CARES Act is

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filling the hole in the short term, but as we look to 2021, they're going to be really difficult

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decisions to be made, but it's also complicated by the fact that we don't have that crystal,

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we don't know how quickly the economy is going to turn around.

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So we really need to be kind of being physically responsible, which these guys are doing very well at and continue to do.

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So, Dorville Cardi, you made a point to say that, you know, most of the service has been in play, especially like that night owl service for people that work late night jobs.

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Will that have to be on the chopping block if you don't get more money from the federal government?

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I think like Leanne said, I don't know what will be on the chopping block at this point

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in time, but I do know this, that absent any additional funding from some other source,

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I only have two levers that I can use to address any budget deficit that I have to face,

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that either increase fares or reduce service, and so as everyone here is saying, it's critical

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for us that we get additional funding to help us get through this because the last thing

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that this economy needs right now is reduction in public transit.

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All right, sorry. I was muted and talking. Sorry about that.

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You can see the full video on our website and available for you if you so choose.

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So regarding further federal relief, today the RTA,

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a CTA Metro and PACE executive director's issued a joint statement that reinforces the

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need for an additional 32 billion for transit nationwide in the next federal COVID package.

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But that legislation is stored because Senate Republicans and House Democrats disagree on

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large portions of that is specifically related to the size and the scope.

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While the heroes, the House Heroes Act proposed approximately $15 billion in additional funding for transit.

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Senate Republicans, COVID relief proposal contains at this point no additional money for transit or for any other state or local government for that matter.

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So we'll continue to pursue that, work with our delegation and say actively engaged and hopefully we will see something positive come from those continued negotiations.

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So next slide please.

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I'd now like to take a few minutes to have the three service boards speak to you specifically about some of their activities around responding to the COVID pandemic.

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And first I'd like to introduce Metro CEO and executive director Jim Dewinsky.

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He is joining us and he will be able to give you a few comments. Jim,

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we bring up Jim's slide as well.

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Jim, are you muted?

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Have you, oh, can you unmute if you are?

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Jim, I'm not sure, Audrey, are you able to hear Jim?

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No, I'm not.

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I am reaching out to his assistant

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to see if she can somehow reach him to let him know.

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Maybe in the interim, could we maybe just cue this slide

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for Rocky and Rocky don't know who

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from Executive Director of PACE?

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Oh, hang on, I'll just leave that to you.

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No, Leanne. This is right. I'm just unmuted thinking you were going to be sorry.

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That's fine. Rocky, what are we doing with you? And we'll work on reconnecting back with Jim.

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Thanks.

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Okay. Well, thank you, Leanne. Good morning, everybody. I'd like to start out first

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by thanking Chairman Dildard in the RTA Board as well as Leanne and the entire RTA staff

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for their leadership and your leadership during these unprecedented times.

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And I'd also like to thank my colleagues at our peer agencies

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for their hard work in keeping Illinoisans moving safely.

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Paces three key focuses during this moment of crisis have been safety, transparency,

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and the critical need we serve.

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I'm sure as you'll hear from my colleagues that we're all taking this very seriously

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and very safe operations and safe business practices and I'll be brief to also hear from

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our fellow transit leaders as well as answering questions you may have. We've stepped up our daily

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vehicle cleaning regimen as well as our cleaning practices and our facilities, our offices, our

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vehicles. We've cleaned like we've never cleaned before. We've enhanced our sanitation and

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The peak distribution early on at the peak of this pandemic, we were spending about $20,000

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a day.

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I give kudos to our procurement departments who were scouring everything to buying

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chlorox wipes and masks and rubber gloves and hand sanitizers when these were at limited

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supply.

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We were never out of them at any of our facilities for our 1,500 drivers, maintenance

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in skies frontline employees.

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We temporarily changed our fair collection practices.

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We installed protective barriers around our operators

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and removed seats to keep passengers

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the ability to social distance.

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We modified service on some of our always performing routes

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so we could free up additional vehicles

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and also to allow social distancing

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and some of our more crowded trips in our area.

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As you might expect, ridership dropped as a result of the pandemic.

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But we get routes going to places like UPS, Amazon, and FedEx

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where not only were they full, these companies were hiring

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and more people were showing up to ride the service.

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So we were able to strategically deploy equipment

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to accommodate those loads with extra vehicles.

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We moved all our ADA pair transit trips to single rides and this goes against everything

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we believe in transit about being efficient and sharing rides but we had to out of the

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safety for not only our passengers for the operators.

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Our ADA vehicles are much smaller.

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You cannot have social distance when you're in a sedan.

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The riders of ADA are generally some of our most vulnerable passengers and our system.

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their generally elderly and their disability may also present underlying issues so we felt

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it best to make all of those trips to the single ride. We waved fairs on our taxi access program

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in the city of Chicago to help relieve pressure on the ADA system and maybe move some of those trips

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to taxi services which is actually cheaper to operate the service but also to ensure we were able

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that have individual trips.

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We had to change a number of policies for employees,

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our operators to minimize interaction with passengers.

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We're currently putting large containers

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of hand sanitizer aboard all of our fixed rail buses.

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And this will allow our passengers

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to be able to sanitize.

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We core-ox our operators when they're in their breaks

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go down and I say core-ox wide pipe touch areas,

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the handrails, the back of seats where people are touching.

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And not only is COVID presented operational challenges,

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kind of seen the pile line as we've navigated several instances

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of civil unrest in the past few months.

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And for the first time in the history of case

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and Chairman Diller talked about Governor Thompson signing the legislation in 1983-1984.

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So 35, 36 years,

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We have to shut our entire system down for three consecutive nights.

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That's the first time we've ever had to do that in the history of our agency to shut down system-wide.

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Coming from an external relations background, I'm a strong believer in properly communicating

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is a key tactic in keeping our system safe.

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We've created a new website and this website allows us to have faster, more efficient communication.

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When we update things on our website it automatically sends out text and email messages to passengers all in one step.

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In the interest of transparency, we have a page on our website where the public can go see everybody, every patient,

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employee that is tested positive for COVID-19.

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We do not provide personal information, names or anything that would identify who that individual is.

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but you can see a driver at North Division,

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a operator at a pair of transit contract writer,

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and we do extensive employee kind of tracing,

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when someone tests positive that they left the region.

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Before they leave the region, they're to tell us they're leading.

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We take passengers on our passengers.

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I'm sorry, our employees' temperatures every day

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before they report to work.

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They fill out a 17-question there every day about how are they feeling?

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Are they having headaches?

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Again, for contact tracing purposes and to ensure the safety of all of us is very

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dizzy.

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And we've had to keep staff fully staffed and those two areas to address our rider's concerns and questions.

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We've created audio messages as well as what we call card cards as you know the posters

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inside the bus is communicating the importance of wearing a mask and social distancing

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and we're all in this together and you need to do your part.

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And bus operators push this button that replays the message on masks continually throughout

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the day.

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We're currently working with the governor's office offering them paces to add channels

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for their it only works if you wear it campaign because again as I said we're all in this together

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and it does only work if we all wear it. In these measures and I'm going to tell you that we're

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not easy nor were they cheap to implement but I'm convinced our system is safe for our employees

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and passengers for the things we have done.

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Around the country ridership is plunged but 50 percent

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of our writers are still taking pace. And that shows me how vital we are to this region's economy

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and to those essential workers who rely on us. Even at the peak of this crisis, almost the

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third of our passengers were still riding the bus. And that just goes to show how many of our writers

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simply do not have other ways to get to pharmacies, grocery stores, or essential jobs.

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We had a temporarily cut service on 99 routes.

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Many of these routes are not running at all right now.

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And while the overall impact for the ridership of these cuts was low,

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anytime we cut a route, it results in jobs or prescriptions being unfilled.

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And we take these decisions extremely seriously, and we do whatever we can to avoid them

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and we'll do whatever we can to make them permanent.

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However, as you heard earlier, from Leanne,

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our budget is really going to dictate our success

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in keeping our full system running.

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Right now, we're anticipating an $80 million shortfall

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in 2021.

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If that comes to fruition, it'll necessitate the permanent staff

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and service reductions that I mentioned earlier.

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In 2020, we've been fortunate in using CARES Act funding

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to keep us afloat. We also are estimating well implemented about 19 million dollars in cost savings

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in 2020. Most of this is from service reductions and administrative actions we've taken, but this will

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all that be enough without additional federal funding.

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Suburban transit service in northeast Illinois will face dire consequences. Our projected 80 million

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deficit will lead to more service cuts, which will lead the further ridership declines.

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Its trip times increase and transit doesn't become a viable option. Ridership declines will

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obviously lead to further revenue reduction. And cuts to our fixed drought service may also

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increase burdens on our ADD paratransit system, while also reducing the geographical coverage

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of that service. And an already delicate employment situation, as well as an existing issues

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of food security, access to healthcare, may worsen as mobility decreases for Illinois

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and hardest tip by this economic crisis. On behalf of PACE, our agency and our board,

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Again, I want to thank the RTA for your leadership and support these hard times, and most importantly,

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I look forward to working with you to solve our financial challenge and be able to emerge from this

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difficult period stronger than ever, and I'll be happy to answer any questions that any of you may have.

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I'm not asking any questions.

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Thank you, Chairman.

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Thank you, Rocky.

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I appreciate you joining in. Sorry, Audrey, I talked over you there. I believe that Jim

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Duinsky has been able to join by phone before we pull the slides up. Jim, are you able

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to be there? Are you there? Yeah, can you hear me now? We can hear you now. Yay! Good.

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I will turn it over to you, Jim, to give a couple of comments to the board.

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Thank you very much Leanne and sorry, thank you very much Leanne, what's that Audrey?

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If you have, as you go through your slides please ask for the next slide so our staff can advance them for you.

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All right, thank you Audrey, you can advance already then.

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Yeah, he can just advance it now, that's good.

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I will thank you. Thank you Chairman and board. It's a pleasure to be here today through a cellular connection. I look forward to the day that we can see each other in person again and start really moving forward to a place of normalcy.

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As COVID hit ridership on metro took a completely different turn than some of the other agencies.

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we saw ourselves fall down to a 97.7% decline from the pre-COVID numbers, our low-point being April 16th.

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A lot of our riders very much appear to be the discretionary type riders that have the ability to work from home.

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We've seen a steady growth back up to about 10% currently right now on all of our lines and certainly through the heart of the pandemic.

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Our core mission was continuing to keep all 11 lines open, all 242 stations, and providing

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services for those essential workers, including our workers as well.

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One of the things we were able to do instantaneously, we had a pre-posted, what we call alternate

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schedule.

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Schedule was designed specifically for major snowstorm events, such as that.

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and so we already had it posted. It runs about 55% of our pre-COVID daily trains. We were running

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692 trains a day, then it dropped. Since then we've adjusted and added some trains back.

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And here it is quarter, Southwest Service, Rock Island, and BNSF. Our Metro Electric

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action is riding at a higher percentage because of the PTC testing that we've been ongoing.

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but the ridership, once again, has come back to about 10% and right now, even though we're in phase four, it really appears to plateaued at the level that we're seeing.

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We see a little bump here and there, but nothing dramatic yet.

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We certainly hear callings from passengers wanting the greater flexibility that the free COVID schedule offers, but right now, the justification for running those extra trains with the limited funds is really going to hit us hard.

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So we're going to sit right now and make adjustments based on ridership demand.

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At most agencies, when COVID hit, the supply chain was decimated.

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Similar to what paced it, we immediately grabbed up everything we could in a disinfectant

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and lights off type environment and started hitting the high touch areas where passengers and employees would touch.

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Today, we're a well stocked cleaning supplies for our employees and PPE, and we're starting

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to use fodders on the trains.

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We've got a good shipment of those in.

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They apply a fogging mist overall to the poultry and it gets underneath, and it really

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does a phenomenal job.

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It took us several, several months to get that part of the supply chain moving, and it's

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a new tool that we're using that really does a way different job than just wiping the

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seat down or hitting the high-touch areas. We do that once a day on the train

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cars. We also use that in the office buildings. Any time we have meetings we

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bond. During this pandemic we certainly started looking at technology and where

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we could take technology into a world that makes the train car that

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environment a much safer place with the current conditions. We experimented with

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UV lighting. UV lighting that's used in hospital operating rooms. We

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We've also been looking at putting UV lighting in the air circulation system, along right

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now with some electrostatic type of filtration system in there that basically zaps any particles

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coming through.

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We're currently looking at piloting some of that technology so that, truthfully, the air

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inside the train car will be cleaner than the air outside the train car.

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We decleaned the cars as Rocky decleaned the buses and Leanne pointed out to the point

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of, it was just dramatic.

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And I was so very proud of our workforce, our workforce are the ones that actually brought

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in power washers from home and having the availability of the cars because they weren't

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needed for service.

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They actually would come in and try things that we've never tried before because we've

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never had the opportunity with such a small spare ratio.

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So this pandemic has given us the opportunity to clean the cars and now we've actually molded

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into the system a natural cleaning process so that every six months the cars get to really

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a showroom kind of clean. And that's really been paying off dividends. The people that are

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writing the train, they clearly point out to us, they notice the distance. In our stations and

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in our cars, we're loaded with signage all over the place about the masks, the social distancing.

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We did not go to the efforts of actually putting the access on the ground because the train spotting

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is sometimes varied. But we have seen some positive comments from people writing the trains about

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all the efforts we're putting in place. This also includes on-board announcements, three

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times for trip, and station announcements fired at people getting on the train. They are

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currently installing touchless hand sanitizer units on both ends of every single train car,

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our supply chain caught up on that and we were able to procure enough to do the entire fleet.

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We anticipate having that particular enhancement done by Labor Day.

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The beginning of the crisis, when we made the decision to stop collecting fares, it was

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really because we had so much uncertainty in the protection of our employees.

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PPE just wasn't available as it is now today.

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We actually went two months as some of the other agencies did without collecting fares.

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So, ensure that the person-to-person contact between our employee and the passenger didn't

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occur.

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on June 3rd we actually opened up back the normal fair collection on almost all of our lines and we

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introduced what we call the $10 all day app or all day pass we offered on our app and in a hard

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copy and that $10 app right now we're going to continue through October 31st as we understand people

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may start the experimenting with coming back down to the central business district and using the service

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It's not in the traditional five days a week,

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but maybe one or two days a week.

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And we believe that's also a way

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that helps economically out some people

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that have really seen some problems

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during uncertain times.

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One of the things we've done more recently in announce

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is put a dashboard up that writers can go and look

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at pre-writership numbers on the train

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that they're looking at writing.

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And that gives them some certainty on seating.

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We have ample room on our trains

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with that ample room on our trains we've also got the ability to add more

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train cars if in fact trains get to a point where they look like they're

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getting crowded. Pre-COVID our heaviest train was 1700 people on a very heavy

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day. Currently today our heaviest train is 340 so that can give you some

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idea of about the ability with the ample spacing we have to make sure that

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physical distance things not a problem. We did a similar to pace open up a

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COVID page on our website, both for our employees and passengers so they can understand all the

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efforts we're doing. It's loaded with tons of videos of the foggers and the coach cleaners

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doing the work and all the other enhancements that we've done to the system.

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In March, we quickly implemented for our workforce a work from home policy. Metra has never had a

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work from home policy before and we continue to conduct the business of Metra successfully. However,

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I still look forward to the day as we get back into face-to-face type meetings as that's the way

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you truly build the culture of any company, any agency. Through April and August, through April through

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August, we just like this board meeting being conducted, our boards conducted its meetings in the

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business of Metro virtually and we've been continuing to move forward with many of the initiatives that we

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had. Metro was recipient of $479.2 million of cash money and as Leon points out it's

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really not going to be enough. Yesterday our CFO, Tom Farmer, revised his projections

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with a decrease in ridership projection, offset a little bit by a positive tax projection,

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but through the end of 21, we're looking at a little over $200 million shortfall right

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right now, even with the 479.2, so we're certainly looking for additional help from federal

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government and we support not only the APDA and the RTA letters, but we clearly are on

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the phone talking with the delegation, making sure that they understand that this entire

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region and the economy of this region is tied to transit.

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We continue to monitor and discuss with all of our sister agencies, not only in this country,

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But we're even looking outside this country about some of the things and efforts and strategies that they're using and we continue to try to experiment and deploy as we have to basically adjust ourselves to be a different metro as we come out.

451
00:41:39,420 --> 00:41:52,060
Post COVID we understand completely that we're not the only company that works from home our core writer is from the suburb into the city and many businesses will be making great business decisions in the upcoming years.

452
00:41:52,060 --> 00:41:54,720
how they will structure their business,

453
00:41:54,980 --> 00:41:56,380
and that will definitely affect

454
00:41:56,380 --> 00:41:58,100
master's ridership in the long run.

455
00:41:59,040 --> 00:42:02,300
With the passing of the COVID-FMLA and ESPLA laws,

456
00:42:02,780 --> 00:42:04,960
we could quickly enact it for all employees,

457
00:42:05,520 --> 00:42:07,560
the protections that were reported to them.

458
00:42:07,940 --> 00:42:12,740
At our height, we saw a 20% usage or absenteeism rate.

459
00:42:13,300 --> 00:42:15,260
But during the crisis, we have never failed

460
00:42:15,260 --> 00:42:18,000
to deliver a start of a train due to personnel shortage.

461
00:42:18,420 --> 00:42:19,940
This includes our critical areas

462
00:42:19,940 --> 00:42:25,380
of dispatching and crew calling. With the lower trained volumes, we've been able to accelerate track

463
00:42:25,380 --> 00:42:31,960
work, ties, grade crossings, and we're currently working on several stations and parking lots due

464
00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:37,660
to the low ridership gives us a grand opportunity to get in there and actually accelerate these projects

465
00:42:37,660 --> 00:42:44,140
thus becoming more efficient. We continue to work on the capital project deliveries of our program.

466
00:42:44,140 --> 00:42:50,880
We look forward to delivering the program and a lot of stations that we've been, we've

467
00:42:50,880 --> 00:42:55,500
promised a legislator in investing back in Illinois as we rebuild here.

468
00:42:56,720 --> 00:43:02,540
Writer's ship will take, I believe, a lot longer to recover on commuter than it does

469
00:43:02,540 --> 00:43:10,600
at BTA and or PACE because of the great shift in the uncertain landscape of the Central

470
00:43:10,600 --> 00:43:17,200
business district. We are starting for the first time since the late 90s. Most likely in

471
00:43:17,200 --> 00:43:24,260
September you'll start seeing it a much more aggressive advertising campaign. Talking

472
00:43:24,260 --> 00:43:29,620
our non-writers, our writers, potential writers and people moving into the suburbs,

473
00:43:29,620 --> 00:43:34,440
there seems to be a great push right now, people moving into the suburbs about how clean and safe

474
00:43:34,440 --> 00:43:39,980
Metro is, how it's an option for the future, how it actually reduces the emissions footprint

475
00:43:41,580 --> 00:43:48,380
and we'll start using some of those advertising dollars like I said in the very near future in many different areas.

476
00:43:48,800 --> 00:43:53,460
As I ride the roads and a lot of you probably do too, you know the roads are starting to get congested.

477
00:43:53,920 --> 00:44:01,980
Downtown parking's gone up about 25%. There will be a point in time where people are going to start making decisions about the motor transportation.

478
00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:05,260
They're going to take to get to their place of work.

479
00:44:05,740 --> 00:44:08,220
So again, I thank you for your leadership at the RTA.

480
00:44:08,540 --> 00:44:09,740
I look forward to the day again.

481
00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:12,660
I can see all of you and I look forward to any questions

482
00:44:12,660 --> 00:44:13,840
that you may have at this time.

483
00:44:20,930 --> 00:44:21,730
Thank you, Jim.

484
00:44:22,270 --> 00:44:23,970
Are there any questions of Jim?

485
00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:28,860
I see no hand raised for questions.

486
00:44:31,310 --> 00:44:31,570
Great.

487
00:44:32,310 --> 00:44:34,650
Thank you, Mr. DeWinsky.

488
00:44:34,850 --> 00:44:35,870
We really appreciate it.

489
00:44:36,650 --> 00:44:38,570
Appreciate your cooperation, as always.

490
00:44:39,630 --> 00:44:40,750
Leanne, you're still on.

491
00:44:40,890 --> 00:44:41,170
Thank you.

492
00:44:42,050 --> 00:44:42,790
Thank you, Chairman.

493
00:44:43,670 --> 00:44:44,250
Thank you.

494
00:44:46,130 --> 00:44:53,630
Thanks Jim. So if we can bring up the slide for CTA, I should say. So we'll just complete

495
00:44:53,630 --> 00:44:59,530
it. We have to jump around a little bit here. Great. Oh, yeah, go back just that and say

496
00:44:59,530 --> 00:44:59,810
Everyone.

497
00:45:00,000 --> 00:45:28,940
Second. So, um, and double-cutter cannot join us today. He is actually taking probably a well-needed vacation a few days off this week. But, um, so Nora, listen, uh, chief of staff, a match, uh, and generally find who's the CFO for CTA will be available to provide us some comments. So if you want to pull up the next slide, I will first call on. I assume Nora, you'll kick off.

498
00:45:29,740 --> 00:45:36,100
Yes, Leanne. Hi. Good morning. Thanks everyone. As Leanne stated, my name is Nora Leerson.

499
00:45:36,360 --> 00:45:41,680
I'm chief of staff at the Chicago Transit Authority. Thanks for having me here this morning to discuss

500
00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:48,220
CTA efforts during this very unprecedented time. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic,

501
00:45:48,780 --> 00:45:54,700
CTA has remained steadfast in delivering safe and reliable service across the region 24 hours.

502
00:45:56,590 --> 00:46:02,130
We coordinate with local public health officials on our ongoing response to the pandemic, and

503
00:46:02,130 --> 00:46:07,330
we continue to closely follow local, state, and federal public health guidance as it relates

504
00:46:07,330 --> 00:46:14,360
to cleaning practices, social distancing, direct aid requirements, work location protocols,

505
00:46:14,740 --> 00:46:17,200
and personal protective equipment for our employees.

506
00:46:18,140 --> 00:46:20,420
First, to our all-important cleaning efforts.

507
00:46:21,300 --> 00:46:26,840
Prior to the pandemic, CTA already had one of the most rigorous and extensive cleaning

508
00:46:26,840 --> 00:46:30,700
schedules in the transit industry, and now we're doing even more.

509
00:46:31,400 --> 00:46:36,060
In response to the pandemic, we have tripled the workforce resources dedicated to cleaning

510
00:46:36,060 --> 00:46:40,760
vehicles and increased by twofold the cleaning frequency of our train stations.

511
00:46:41,680 --> 00:46:47,320
Our rail cars, buses, stations, and work facilities are cleaned and disinfected throughout

512
00:46:47,320 --> 00:46:49,780
each day and receive regular deep cleaning.

513
00:46:50,540 --> 00:46:56,820
All of this is done using cleaning products that have been reviewed and approved by the

514
00:46:56,820 --> 00:47:02,120
used during the COVID-19 outbreak. This increased cleaning means that every

515
00:47:02,120 --> 00:47:06,620
rail car and bus is cleaned before heading out into service, including wiping

516
00:47:06,620 --> 00:47:11,520
down seats, stanchions, and grout handles with disinfectant, and then again

517
00:47:11,520 --> 00:47:16,080
while in service, including the cleaning of high-touch surfaces of rail cars at

518
00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:21,140
all terminals. This is in addition to the 300 vehicles that are deep cleaned each

519
00:47:21,140 --> 00:47:26,160
night from floor to ceiling. We're using new electrostatic sprayers which are a

520
00:47:26,160 --> 00:47:31,060
tool to create an intensive misting that gets into every crack and crevice in our vehicles

521
00:47:31,560 --> 00:47:36,800
to further enhance our cleaning regimen. Frequently touched surfaces at our stations

522
00:47:36,800 --> 00:47:43,420
are cleaned four times a day. In addition to new mobile cleaning slot teams that are deployed

523
00:47:43,420 --> 00:47:49,820
to power wash our stations, covering over a third of our system every week. We're also staying

524
00:47:49,820 --> 00:47:54,360
abreast of new cleaning technologies to ensure we have the best and most effective cleaning

525
00:47:54,360 --> 00:47:55,140
resume we can.

526
00:47:56,580 --> 00:48:02,560
With regard to our efforts around social distancing between riders, since the start of the pandemic,

527
00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:07,640
we've run as much service as possible despite reduced ridership, which allows our riders

528
00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:11,380
to practice social distancing from one another and from our operators.

529
00:48:12,420 --> 00:48:18,140
Even in the deepest parts of the state, home waters, CTA was still carrying 250,000 riders

530
00:48:18,140 --> 00:48:23,920
a day, which is more than many transit agencies across the country carry on a normal day before

531
00:48:23,920 --> 00:48:30,440
the COVID pandemic. Currently we're up to close to 450,000 riders today, which gives you a sense of

532
00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:35,600
the magnitude of riders that we see on our system and that we are seeing some coming back even

533
00:48:35,600 --> 00:48:38,300
amidst this current COVID situation.

534
00:48:40,860 --> 00:48:43,700
There are several targeted initiatives that we've taken to

535
00:48:43,700 --> 00:48:50,340
promote proper riding of CTA. In conjunction with the Chicago Department of Public Health, we've set

536
00:48:50,340 --> 00:48:52,940
passenger capacity limits on our buses and trains.

537
00:48:53,760 --> 00:49:05,240
CTAV vehicle passenger standards are now approximately 15 riders on standard 40-foot buses, and about 22 riders on our 60-foot larger articulated buses and on rail cars.

538
00:49:06,220 --> 00:49:15,900
CTA bus operators are authorized to limit the number of riders aboard the bus and run drop-off only for periods in order to properly maintain capacity on their buses.

539
00:49:15,900 --> 00:49:23,640
We closely monitored our ridership levels and about an extra buses and longer buses to address occasional crowding on certain routes.

540
00:49:24,720 --> 00:49:37,460
Recently we introduced an ADA accessible rider information dashboard to help our riders safely plan their trips by avoiding traveling during heavier ridership periods and to help promote social distancing.

541
00:49:37,460 --> 00:49:42,700
The first component of this new tool is the updated bus crowding dashboard, which uses

542
00:49:42,700 --> 00:49:48,160
a color coding system to depict possible space availability for each bus route based

543
00:49:48,160 --> 00:49:53,780
on the average historic ridership during COVID-19 compared with our established capacity elements.

544
00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:59,840
We've instituted a real-time camera monitoring initiative in which CTA employees actively monitor

545
00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:02,160
certain rail stations to identify crowding.

546
00:50:02,600 --> 00:50:07,220
When this is observed, audio announcements are made over station speakers to remind riders

547
00:50:07,220 --> 00:50:10,020
to spread out and maintain a healthy distance from one another.

548
00:50:10,980 --> 00:50:15,580
Since the start of the pandemic, we have saturated our system with sign-in, regarding social

549
00:50:15,580 --> 00:50:18,440
distancing as well as the requirements to our face covering.

550
00:50:19,280 --> 00:50:25,060
In total, so far, CTA has installed over 70,000 new signs across our system regarding these

551
00:50:25,060 --> 00:50:28,800
topics, all of which display messages in those English and Spanish.

552
00:50:29,640 --> 00:50:33,880
In addition, writers here remind us about these protocols through audio announcements that

553
00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:36,300
to play on all vehicles and at rail stations

554
00:50:36,300 --> 00:50:38,180
it'd been response to possible crowding.

555
00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:40,500
As part of this signage,

556
00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:42,720
we placed new circular floor decals

557
00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:46,500
on all of our 145 station platforms and elevators

558
00:50:46,500 --> 00:50:47,940
that urge social distancing.

559
00:50:48,740 --> 00:50:51,860
The new decals say, be safe, make a space,

560
00:50:52,020 --> 00:50:54,280
and they're evenly spaced along all the platforms

561
00:50:54,280 --> 00:50:56,800
and have been placed throughout the station houses

562
00:50:56,800 --> 00:50:58,780
near venture machines and in elevators.

563
00:51:00,020 --> 00:51:02,020
Importantly, CTA has mandated

564
00:51:02,020 --> 00:51:07,200
that riders wear facial coverings while on CTA vehicles and property. Specifically,

565
00:51:07,240 --> 00:51:11,080
in accordance with the executive orders from the State of Illinois and the Chicago Department

566
00:51:11,080 --> 00:51:17,940
of Public Health, as well as CTA's own newly added rule of conduct, we require that riders

567
00:51:17,940 --> 00:51:23,640
wear a facial covering or face mask at all times while on CTA service. There's nowhere on

568
00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:28,480
CTA that a rider can go without being reminded of this requirement, which also applies to our own

569
00:51:28,480 --> 00:51:34,620
employees. We've also offered several giveaways to riders to further promote healthy riding.

570
00:51:35,300 --> 00:51:40,600
In June as part of our ongoing efforts to welcome riders back, we began distributing three

571
00:51:40,600 --> 00:51:46,260
travel healthy kits, which contained a reusable cloth mask, a two-ounce bottle hand sanitizer,

572
00:51:46,720 --> 00:51:52,600
and a healthy riding tips guide. To date, we've distributed nearly 12,000 of the travel healthy

573
00:51:52,600 --> 00:51:56,240
kids to riders, and then they've been given a very positive reception.

574
00:51:57,160 --> 00:52:02,920
To encourage the use of contact with payment, we've distributed 5,000 three venture cards

575
00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:08,560
this summer to our riders in order to promote this type of payment method.

576
00:52:09,830 --> 00:52:15,060
All of these efforts have been promoted via our website, www.transitchicabra.com-flashgrownivirus,

577
00:52:15,620 --> 00:52:20,300
as well as via all of our social media channels on a daily basis and through videos that play

578
00:52:20,300 --> 00:52:22,040
throughout our system on our digital screen.

579
00:52:22,860 --> 00:52:25,280
We are an ongoing discussion with the business

580
00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:28,000
and university communities to continue to spread the word

581
00:52:28,000 --> 00:52:31,020
about all that CTA has done in response to COVID-19.

582
00:52:32,360 --> 00:52:34,320
Of course, none of this would be possible

583
00:52:34,320 --> 00:52:37,320
without the absolutely heroic efforts of our workforce,

584
00:52:37,580 --> 00:52:39,500
whoever remained unwaveringly committed

585
00:52:39,500 --> 00:52:41,460
to serving our riders throughout this time.

586
00:52:42,200 --> 00:52:44,660
Their health and safety has remained our top priority.

587
00:52:45,540 --> 00:52:47,460
In terms of personal protective equipment,

588
00:52:48,000 --> 00:52:50,100
CTA has provided all frontline employees

589
00:52:50,100 --> 00:52:56,660
with face covering, gloves, hand sanitizer, face shields, or goggles, and individual cleaning products.

590
00:52:57,480 --> 00:53:01,680
And we've distributed extensive information to our work locations about COVID-19

591
00:53:01,680 --> 00:53:06,080
and the best practices recommended by city, state, and national health experts.

592
00:53:07,220 --> 00:53:11,800
With regards to their work environment, while operating on our trains, our rail operators are

593
00:53:11,800 --> 00:53:17,980
an entirely enclosed operating cap at the front of the train. For our bus operators, we've

594
00:53:17,980 --> 00:53:22,020
Ensured that all of the buses that are out on the street during this time are the ones

595
00:53:22,020 --> 00:53:26,540
that are equipped with a protective shield that create a barrier between the operator and

596
00:53:26,540 --> 00:53:26,960
the riders.

597
00:53:27,780 --> 00:53:32,560
For a rail station attendant, they're conducting their work out of an enclosed kiosk in

598
00:53:32,560 --> 00:53:33,060
our station.

599
00:53:34,160 --> 00:53:39,480
Whenever it's possible to do without limiting access to our ADA accessible seats on buses,

600
00:53:40,060 --> 00:53:44,280
we've roped off seats near the operator to provide a proper distance between operators

601
00:53:44,280 --> 00:53:44,760
and riders.

602
00:53:45,760 --> 00:53:50,320
Likewise, CTA requires social distancing at all of our work facilities, and this is

603
00:53:50,320 --> 00:53:55,120
implemented by adjusting the environment in common areas, imposing occupancy limits on

604
00:53:55,120 --> 00:53:59,580
workrooms and facilities, and posting signage and areas where employees often gather.

605
00:54:01,400 --> 00:54:05,940
Additionally, CTA was one of the first trans agencies in the country to begin routinely

606
00:54:05,940 --> 00:54:08,880
checking the temperatures of employees when they report to work.

607
00:54:09,360 --> 00:54:13,360
And this effort has resulted in over 15,000 temperature checks so far.

608
00:54:13,360 --> 00:54:17,800
We also have in place the unique partnership with Rush University Medical Center,

609
00:54:17,940 --> 00:54:23,200
which that allows for CTA employees with symptoms to receive free priority COVID-19 testing.

610
00:54:24,120 --> 00:54:31,040
The COVID-19 pandemic has made more clear than ever to all of us that transit is a vital component

611
00:54:31,040 --> 00:54:36,100
to keeping our communities moving and driving. This time has presented unprecedented situations

612
00:54:36,960 --> 00:54:42,180
operationally as well as financially. Amidst all the uncertainty that COVID-19 has brought,

613
00:54:42,180 --> 00:54:44,660
but one thing has remained glaringly clear

614
00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:46,680
as all of us are mentioning this morning.

615
00:54:47,360 --> 00:54:49,620
It's critically important that public transit

616
00:54:49,620 --> 00:54:51,340
receive additional federal funding

617
00:54:51,340 --> 00:54:53,340
in order for us to be able to continue

618
00:54:53,340 --> 00:54:55,660
to carry this region through this period.

619
00:54:56,380 --> 00:54:56,940
Thank you.

620
00:55:03,540 --> 00:55:04,860
Are we just going to be,

621
00:55:04,980 --> 00:55:07,520
are you speaking or is Jeremy going to make some comments too?

622
00:55:08,340 --> 00:55:09,740
Nope, that concludes our comment.

623
00:55:10,480 --> 00:55:11,380
Okay, thanks, Nora.

624
00:55:11,880 --> 00:55:13,440
Sorry, Mr. Chairman, I'll turn it back to you.

625
00:55:13,800 --> 00:55:14,780
That's okay, Nora.

626
00:55:15,020 --> 00:55:16,480
Thank you very much.

627
00:55:17,720 --> 00:55:24,660
Leanne and I and our staff talk readily with Dorval and all of you and we appreciate your

628
00:55:24,660 --> 00:55:25,340
cooperation.

629
00:55:26,340 --> 00:55:35,760
I cannot imagine the stress that is on Dorval and you and everyone at the CTA, the same

630
00:55:35,760 --> 00:55:42,600
goes with Jim for Jim DeWinsky and Metro as well as Rocky at pace and you mentioned your

631
00:55:42,600 --> 00:55:50,860
staff and all your employees know about I can't thank you all enough you know this has been an

632
00:55:50,860 --> 00:55:59,940
extremely difficult time and you know your issues at the CTA have been even more than COVID

633
00:55:59,940 --> 00:56:08,080
this summer and you've done a spectacular job so I can't thank you enough and pass on my thanks to

634
00:56:08,080 --> 00:56:09,000
adorable as well.

635
00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:11,040
I certainly will.

636
00:56:11,220 --> 00:56:11,760
Thank you, Chairman.

637
00:56:13,080 --> 00:56:14,620
Director Sagar has a question.

638
00:56:17,940 --> 00:56:19,180
Dr. Good question.

639
00:56:21,420 --> 00:56:21,900
I'm mute.

640
00:56:28,390 --> 00:56:30,890
Is it appropriate, Chairman, at this point for me

641
00:56:30,890 --> 00:56:31,970
just to make a response?

642
00:56:32,630 --> 00:56:34,310
Sure, please go ahead, Dr.

643
00:56:36,010 --> 00:56:37,070
Yeah, thank you.

644
00:56:37,230 --> 00:56:42,110
I just cannot begin to say how grateful and frankly impressed I am

645
00:56:42,110 --> 00:56:46,530
by the presentations and by the incredible work that has been done.

646
00:56:46,530 --> 00:56:51,070
and I'm so thankful for Roscoe's and Jim's and Nora's reports today.

647
00:56:51,670 --> 00:56:59,450
You know, the response of our service agencies and my opinion has just been absolutely outstanding

648
00:56:59,450 --> 00:57:04,310
and I want to say sincere thanks for the incredible immediate response

649
00:57:04,310 --> 00:57:12,250
to address and provide additional protective sanitation for the equipment and for our commuters.

650
00:57:13,670 --> 00:57:21,450
also for the additional focused and truly proactive communication via websites and media

651
00:57:21,450 --> 00:57:27,610
and postings to advise employees and the public at large about the efforts that are taken

652
00:57:27,610 --> 00:57:29,290
in response to the COVID-19.

653
00:57:29,930 --> 00:57:36,390
To make sure there were all at safe as possible while simultaneously providing a continued service,

654
00:57:36,990 --> 00:57:38,230
I think it's been remarkable.

655
00:57:38,230 --> 00:57:40,830
Well, I also want to just express sincere appreciation

656
00:57:40,830 --> 00:57:42,710
for the financial oversight.

657
00:57:42,910 --> 00:57:46,550
And while this is an incredibly challenging time for all,

658
00:57:47,010 --> 00:57:50,410
I am grateful for the fact that the service agencies

659
00:57:50,410 --> 00:57:55,730
and the RTA general is truly looking very proactively

660
00:57:55,730 --> 00:57:59,730
at how we are going to respond and plan

661
00:57:59,730 --> 00:58:04,310
for the future finances of the entire P of the system.

662
00:58:04,450 --> 00:58:06,750
And so I want to just reiterate

663
00:58:06,750 --> 00:58:12,270
that I'm just really truly impressed and incredibly grateful to our service agencies.

664
00:58:12,270 --> 00:58:18,630
I think they've done a remarkable job and this type of oversight and response is exactly

665
00:58:18,630 --> 00:58:21,930
what we would expect from a truly professional transit system.

666
00:58:22,310 --> 00:58:25,850
You've done a yoga job and please know that we appreciate it.

667
00:58:26,630 --> 00:58:27,090
Thank you.

668
00:58:28,590 --> 00:58:36,730
Thank you, Dr. One thing I want to point out is that the CTA has continued to run 24 hours

669
00:58:36,730 --> 00:58:44,990
seven. As they always have, many large transit systems worldwide do not run 24 hours a day.

670
00:58:45,890 --> 00:58:53,810
And I think, you know, Mayor Lightfoot early on said the CTA would continue to get essential

671
00:58:53,810 --> 00:59:02,690
workers and the population of the Chicago land area to and from their daily lives. But

672
00:59:02,690 --> 00:59:09,830
But literally, many, many essential workers, health care workers, whether it's Rosalind Hospital

673
00:59:09,830 --> 00:59:19,050
or Mount Sinai, or our teaching hospitals, they rely and ride on the CTA to get to and from

674
00:59:19,050 --> 00:59:19,450
work.

675
00:59:19,850 --> 00:59:25,770
And we run 24-7, and that every major transit system can say that.

676
00:59:29,130 --> 00:59:30,010
Leon, thank you.

677
00:59:32,460 --> 00:59:33,880
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

678
00:59:33,880 --> 00:59:42,060
And I want to thank the service boards for carving out some time to come and talk to you today.

679
00:59:42,320 --> 00:59:50,720
I do think it's important that they keep directly from you and we'll continue to work closely as we go forward.

680
00:59:51,640 --> 00:59:59,860
And I really think that the important takeaway from some of this is that together we've created a culture of COVID-19.

681
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:28,140
And while our system has met the challenges of this year, there's many more challenges lying ahead of us. The four transit agencies are committed to working closely together with us on this year's budget process, which will be shaped by the new regional framework for transit investments, which is public comment period ends next week, and we talked about that with the board last month. And we'll be bringing it plan to bring that back to the board for adoption in September.

682
01:00:28,140 --> 01:00:36,020
And there's no mistaking that hard times have come upon us, operationally the service

683
01:00:36,020 --> 01:00:40,300
boards will continue to innovate while protecting their rights and staff.

684
01:00:40,840 --> 01:00:47,700
On the finances side, I think the biggest challenge will be planning our future and making

685
01:00:47,700 --> 01:00:54,620
sure that we are transparently setting clear priorities based on the best available data.

686
01:00:54,620 --> 01:00:59,900
and you'll see a bit more a presentation on some of that later on in the board meeting.

687
01:01:00,620 --> 01:01:08,900
So we take the board in advance for your support as we take on some of these very difficult issues

688
01:01:09,480 --> 01:01:12,380
and facing very difficult choices ahead of us.

689
01:01:12,600 --> 01:01:17,140
And I really think by working together our transit system can more than survive

690
01:01:17,140 --> 01:01:21,380
but it can eventually thrive in our post-pandemic economy.

691
01:01:21,940 --> 01:01:23,660
So, next slide please.

692
01:01:24,380 --> 01:01:24,800
Excuse me.

693
01:01:25,000 --> 01:01:26,580
Director Payne has a question.

694
01:01:27,020 --> 01:01:29,480
And Director Sagar, could you put yourself on mute?

695
01:01:41,300 --> 01:01:43,220
Director Payne, your hand is raised.

696
01:01:51,700 --> 01:01:54,980
I'm sorry, I'm having trouble on my phone.

697
01:01:55,560 --> 01:02:03,400
So, I thank you very much for, I had my hand up and I didn't have my microphone on, so that doesn't really work.

698
01:02:03,580 --> 01:02:09,460
But thank you very much for what you are doing to keep the city running and getting essential

699
01:02:10,320 --> 01:02:17,540
workers to work including all of you and I just want to ask you a question that I know

700
01:02:17,540 --> 01:02:26,920
each one of the service board has a very unique set of circumstances to keep the writers

701
01:02:26,920 --> 01:02:36,160
and the staff safe. I think a lot of when we get back to work and when we get kids back

702
01:02:36,160 --> 01:02:45,600
on CTA to go to school will be about communications about how safe it is. And I wondered if the

703
01:02:45,600 --> 01:02:54,700
three service boards are talking and at all together about how that communication could be as simple

704
01:02:54,700 --> 01:03:02,360
as possible and as connected, and particularly because Metro and CTA share writers and just wanted

705
01:03:02,360 --> 01:03:06,320
your thoughts about that or to keep it tap of mind as you move forward.

706
01:03:11,230 --> 01:03:17,610
I'm not sure if we, I know we, I believe we lost Jim because he had another

707
01:03:17,610 --> 01:03:22,850
high commitment that he had to be at this morning. I didn't know if we still have Nora

708
01:03:22,850 --> 01:03:27,430
and or Rocky on if they, I can let them comment first and then I could just

709
01:03:27,430 --> 01:03:32,940
All right. Hi, Leanne. This is Rack. You know, I'm still here and director

710
01:03:32,940 --> 01:03:34,600
Thank you for paying. Thank you. It's a great question.

711
01:03:35,960 --> 01:03:40,740
I'm close to Leanne and her team, the service boards myself.

712
01:03:41,500 --> 01:03:46,500
I'm always speaking for pace, but I meet with CTA, RTA,

713
01:03:47,760 --> 01:03:52,700
Matra, we meet weekly in one of the conversations that constantly comes up

714
01:03:52,700 --> 01:03:57,360
is ensuring communication not amongst their service boards, but consistent communication

715
01:03:57,940 --> 01:03:59,160
to our passengers.

716
01:03:59,160 --> 01:04:09,060
leaders, as both CTA and Metro stated about what they're doing and how they compare nationally,

717
01:04:09,680 --> 01:04:16,180
we also are working with APTA as a region after the National Organization for Public Transit

718
01:04:16,180 --> 01:04:27,120
and this messaging of safety is dire and mean and so pace is doing our part of what we can

719
01:04:27,120 --> 01:04:33,580
do within our own system, but we also understand the importance of being able to communicate

720
01:04:33,580 --> 01:04:40,700
and work together, because 50% of our passengers actually transfer every data CTA. So, in

721
01:04:40,700 --> 01:04:47,720
tell you, we work very closely with Dorival and Nora and her team on decisions, but to

722
01:04:47,720 --> 01:04:54,000
your point specifically, I want to commend Leanne because one of the issues that she brings

723
01:04:54,000 --> 01:05:00,320
of constantly at our weekly meetings is well in this together and we have to have a, you know,

724
01:05:00,460 --> 01:05:09,460
message. This is Nora from CTA. I'll echo what, what Rocky saying. We're in constant communication

725
01:05:09,460 --> 01:05:16,260
about these topics as well as having a consistent and clear message to our writers about what we're

726
01:05:16,260 --> 01:05:22,220
doing. And all of us recognize this is really, this is a marathon, not a sprint. I think this is,

727
01:05:22,220 --> 01:05:27,020
This is going to go on for a long time as the reality, so we need to keep our messaging

728
01:05:27,020 --> 01:05:33,020
fresh and clear and direct with regards to what we're doing to keep everyone's attention

729
01:05:33,020 --> 01:05:40,440
and to get the message across something, and Rocky mentioned this, the larger industry.

730
01:05:42,380 --> 01:05:47,720
American Public Transit Association has done a lot of work in this area as well with regards

731
01:05:47,720 --> 01:05:53,780
to the industry as a whole because as you can imagine the message is becoming kind of consistent

732
01:05:53,780 --> 01:06:01,160
that all transit agencies need to speak to cleaning, distancing, and mask wearing as important

733
01:06:01,160 --> 01:06:07,020
components. So there is a unified message that the industry is also building and I know President

734
01:06:07,020 --> 01:06:12,440
Carter works closely with APDA to help build that and contribute and engage with that. So that's

735
01:06:12,440 --> 01:06:18,620
also going to be helpful as we move forward. That's really helpful. Thank you so much and thanks again

736
01:06:18,620 --> 01:06:21,260
for what you're doing to keep us running.

737
01:06:24,220 --> 01:06:24,580
Thank you.

738
01:06:24,580 --> 01:06:25,260
Thank you.

739
01:06:25,320 --> 01:06:26,400
You could lower your hand, please.

740
01:06:29,780 --> 01:06:35,640
I just have, if we can pull up the next slide and just a couple of quick things just to wrap

741
01:06:35,640 --> 01:06:36,220
up here.

742
01:06:38,240 --> 01:06:43,420
So for the most part, you know, that was the bulk of my EDU report, but I thought we still should

743
01:06:43,420 --> 01:06:51,040
touch base on the couple of the usual things that I connect with you on. First, an update

744
01:06:51,040 --> 01:06:55,040
on the stated link quickly figures for this month, and through the end of July, the state

745
01:06:55,040 --> 01:07:06,420
owes the RTA $214.5 million in the combination of debt service reimbursement and sales tax

746
01:07:06,420 --> 01:07:14,240
match. The state is about 13 months behind on one portion of the debt service reimbursement.

747
01:07:14,480 --> 01:07:18,980
There are about 12 months behind on the other portion of the debt service reimbursement

748
01:07:18,980 --> 01:07:24,980
and about the equivalent behind a equivalent of about three months behind on the public trade

749
01:07:24,980 --> 01:07:30,840
transportation fund, which is the match to the sale tax. And the year-to-date cost to the RTA

750
01:07:30,840 --> 01:07:41,140
for us to cover that those delays is in short term debt cost is about 3.2 million and just one

751
01:07:41,140 --> 01:07:51,980
final slide next slide please. And finally you will hear under item 7a the ordinance amending the

752
01:07:51,980 --> 01:07:59,200
2020 regional service board budgets that the 2020 pace ADA power transit funding has been hard hit

753
01:07:59,200 --> 01:08:06,260
by COVID-19 creating a shortfall that we did not foresee when budget revision process began

754
01:08:06,260 --> 01:08:13,180
back in May. Rocky touched on this a little bit in his comments. Staff will describe a two-step approach

755
01:08:14,140 --> 01:08:20,060
and essentially today we will ask that you act on the first portion of that which is the approval

756
01:08:20,060 --> 01:08:28,440
of 18 million more than the May estimate and it will likely and at a further 13 million

757
01:08:28,810 --> 01:08:35,860
will be requested for addition in September. In both cases the source will be the ADA

758
01:08:35,860 --> 01:08:41,980
Paratransit Reserve Fund which the RTA holds. So we're lucky to actually have that fund so

759
01:08:41,980 --> 01:08:47,900
we can fill that gap. So we'll be using that reserve fund rather than the current sales tax

760
01:08:47,900 --> 01:08:55,320
revenues. So that's just a point of clarification on that upcoming item. One final thing I will note

761
01:08:55,320 --> 01:09:02,040
that because there was a lot of discussion here, a lot of information both by the EDs as well as

762
01:09:02,040 --> 01:09:07,820
further stuff coming on the board, all this information as well as the recordings and video and audio

763
01:09:07,820 --> 01:09:15,140
will be available on our websites for viewing at any point. And with that, this concludes my ED report.

764
01:09:15,140 --> 01:09:19,200
this marathon report. Thank

765
01:09:21,820 --> 01:09:26,780
you, Leon. Marathon, but important. Again, thanks to Nora, Jim

766
01:09:26,780 --> 01:09:35,700
and Rocky for joining us today and as always. Item 6A is the presentation of the quarterly

767
01:09:35,700 --> 01:09:42,620
performance report, the second quarter for 2020 and Juleleary. Do you want to brief us please?

768
01:09:42,620 --> 01:09:48,560
Excuse me, Mr. Chairman, I don't know if Director Payne's had another question, but her hand

769
01:09:48,560 --> 01:09:48,940
is up.

770
01:09:53,430 --> 01:09:58,910
I don't have another question, but my hand is not up on my side, so I've been clicking

771
01:09:58,910 --> 01:10:04,130
it, and maybe I'll turn it off and go back on, so no, I don't have another question.

772
01:10:04,670 --> 01:10:04,890
Okay.

773
01:10:05,510 --> 01:10:06,490
Let's recover it.

774
01:10:07,170 --> 01:10:07,530
Thank you.

775
01:10:07,850 --> 01:10:08,570
Thanks, Director.

776
01:10:09,310 --> 01:10:12,790
So, anyway, Jill Leary on the quarterly performance report.

777
01:10:13,110 --> 01:10:13,270
Jill.

778
01:10:13,970 --> 01:10:16,890
Thank you, and good morning, Chairman Deller and Board members.

779
01:10:17,470 --> 01:10:21,350
I'm here to present the quarterly performance to the second quarter of 2020.

780
01:10:21,910 --> 01:10:22,350
Next slide.

781
01:10:26,990 --> 01:10:27,730
Next slide, please.

782
01:10:30,060 --> 01:10:33,320
As a reminder, we are using the three goals from Invest in Transit,

783
01:10:33,660 --> 01:10:37,220
a regional transit strategic plan to structure our quarterly reports.

784
01:10:37,820 --> 01:10:42,640
In a moment, I'll walk through each of these goals and tell you how we performed for the first half of 2020.

785
01:10:43,720 --> 01:10:48,720
First, I do want to note that this quarterly report covers the first half of 2020.

786
01:10:48,720 --> 01:10:53,740
2020, so it includes two and a half, two and a half, quote, unquote, normal months and

787
01:10:53,740 --> 01:10:55,820
three and a half of COVID impacted months.

788
01:10:56,620 --> 01:10:57,200
Next slide.

789
01:10:59,930 --> 01:11:04,910
The first strategic goal, deliver value on our investment focuses on two key questions.

790
01:11:05,830 --> 01:11:10,190
Did we get more funding into are we efficient stewards of that, the funds that we have?

791
01:11:10,990 --> 01:11:11,430
Next slide.

792
01:11:13,770 --> 01:11:19,710
We monitor progress on this goal for the first half of 2020 by tracking capital and operating

793
01:11:19,710 --> 01:11:23,890
funding and expenditures and comparing performance to the first half of 2019.

794
01:11:24,970 --> 01:11:32,130
Looking at year-to-date, quarter two results annual capital funding was 190% higher compared to 2019.

795
01:11:33,130 --> 01:11:37,910
The quarter two 2020 capital program is a lot higher than we reported in the first quarter.

796
01:11:38,630 --> 01:11:46,010
This is the result of rebuild Illinois bond funds getting shifted from the out years 2021 to 2024

797
01:11:46,010 --> 01:11:52,530
to this year, 2020, which increased the annual funding by 58% or just over $1 billion.

798
01:11:54,190 --> 01:12:00,170
Capital expenditures were roughly equal to 2019, although 2020's second quarter spending

799
01:12:00,170 --> 01:12:03,750
was nearly 19% higher compared to first quarter of 2020.

800
01:12:04,430 --> 01:12:07,970
This is because the service boards continued with their construction schedules

801
01:12:07,970 --> 01:12:09,790
throughout the pandemic.

802
01:12:10,590 --> 01:12:21,350
Shifting to operating stats, the system-wide operating cost per passenger trip was 83.6% at the end of the second quarter after being adjusted for inflation.

803
01:12:22,230 --> 01:12:35,390
We've had a 1.3% decrease in operating costs through the first half of 2020, but the year-to-date, but the year-to-date 46% decrease in ridership drives the metric unsavorably higher.

804
01:12:36,190 --> 01:12:43,510
Fair Revenue for passenger trip, also known as the average fair paid was down 7.5% to $1.67.

805
01:12:44,590 --> 01:12:50,750
Overall, fair revenues were down roughly 50%, and they were spread over 46% fewer trips.

806
01:12:51,710 --> 01:12:52,410
Next slide, please.

807
01:12:55,460 --> 01:12:58,380
For the first goal spotlight, I'd like to give you an update on

808
01:12:58,380 --> 01:13:03,680
Capital Program Progress overall. Progress continues to be made with the Capital Program

809
01:13:03,680 --> 01:13:08,420
and capital construction at each of the agencies as was evident in the stats a moment ago.

810
01:13:09,200 --> 01:13:12,960
Later in the meeting, the board will consider a capital program amendment to cover some of the

811
01:13:12,960 --> 01:13:15,100
administrative elements of keeping the work going.

812
01:13:16,300 --> 01:13:20,840
The biggest change since our last quarterly report is that the rebuild Illinois bond funds

813
01:13:20,840 --> 01:13:22,280
are now in signed grant agreements.

814
01:13:23,200 --> 01:13:26,460
This required significant coordination with the I-DOT and the service boards.

815
01:13:27,280 --> 01:13:32,660
And the RTA has also applied to the 2020 Pego funding and we are waiting the grant approval for I-DOT.

816
01:13:33,200 --> 01:13:37,620
Last but not least, work continues on the new investment framework for transit capital

817
01:13:37,620 --> 01:13:39,100
as Leigh Ann mentioned earlier.

818
01:13:39,780 --> 01:13:46,640
Comments on that document are open until August 28th, and we will be presenting a final document

819
01:13:46,640 --> 01:13:48,160
for your approval in September.

820
01:13:48,980 --> 01:13:49,600
Next slide, please.

821
01:13:53,230 --> 01:13:56,990
Moving on, the second goal of investing transit is build on the strengths of our network,

822
01:13:57,210 --> 01:14:00,750
where we ask the questions, did the region become more transit-friendly?

823
01:14:01,250 --> 01:14:03,910
And are we focusing our limited resources wisely?

824
01:14:03,910 --> 01:14:05,350
Next slide.

825
01:14:08,100 --> 01:14:12,200
For this goal, we have been measuring vehicle revenue miles or the amount of service

826
01:14:12,200 --> 01:14:17,820
available to our riders over the past 10 years. Before the pandemic, the trend had been generally

827
01:14:17,820 --> 01:14:24,100
upward over the last decade. However, measure and pace have had reduced service plans in place

828
01:14:24,100 --> 01:14:29,700
since March in order to maintain operations for essential service providers. Limit exposure for

829
01:14:29,700 --> 01:14:34,840
for our frontline workers and to reflect decreased demand on the system.

830
01:14:35,860 --> 01:14:41,280
So vehicle revenue miles for the first half of 2020, which 15% lower than the first half

831
01:14:41,280 --> 01:14:42,020
of 2019.

832
01:14:43,580 --> 01:14:44,100
Next slide.

833
01:14:46,650 --> 01:14:50,590
For the second goal spotlight, we're going to look at how our service reductions, compared

834
01:14:50,590 --> 01:14:52,590
to our peer regions across the country.

835
01:14:53,150 --> 01:14:58,190
As you can see, the Chicago region kept a significant portion of its service intact and

836
01:14:58,190 --> 01:14:59,850
We reduced service to a left.

837
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:06,680
Councilor extant than our peers. Compared to the first half of 2019, in 2020, over this time period,

838
01:15:07,200 --> 01:15:13,740
CTA reduced its service hours by 6.5%, primarily driven by the shutdowns of CTA service during

839
01:15:13,740 --> 01:15:20,700
the social unrest events in early June. Metro reduced its service hours by 24% as a significant

840
01:15:20,700 --> 01:15:26,820
portions of its riders had the ability to tell a commute. Case suburban services were reduced

841
01:15:26,820 --> 01:15:29,800
by 19% affecting 100 of its routes.

842
01:15:30,520 --> 01:15:33,980
In the ADA, paratransit service hours were down 33%

843
01:15:33,980 --> 01:15:36,660
as shared rides were significantly reduced.

844
01:15:37,900 --> 01:15:38,260
Next slide.

845
01:15:41,400 --> 01:15:42,920
The third goal is state competitive,

846
01:15:43,120 --> 01:15:45,760
which asks, are we providing the kind of services

847
01:15:45,760 --> 01:15:46,940
that people want to ride,

848
01:15:47,420 --> 01:15:49,720
and are the people satisfied with it when they do?

849
01:15:50,380 --> 01:15:50,820
Next slide.

850
01:15:53,210 --> 01:15:54,890
For this goal, we've been tracking ridership

851
01:15:54,890 --> 01:15:57,370
as well as metrics related to speed and reliability

852
01:15:57,370 --> 01:15:59,730
which influence whether people use transit.

853
01:15:59,730 --> 01:16:06,910
system-wide ridership for the first half of the year was $145 million a decrease as I said of 46

854
01:16:06,910 --> 01:16:15,410
percent compared to 2019. The system-wide average speed was 14.6 miles per hour down 2.5 percent

855
01:16:15,410 --> 01:16:23,510
from 14.9 miles per hour in 2019. CTA's on-time performance averaged 84 percent for bus in the

856
01:16:23,510 --> 01:16:30,510
first half of 2020. Rail stats are not available at this time. Measures on-time performance averaged

857
01:16:30,510 --> 01:16:39,210
96.7% over the first half of 2020, exceeding their target of 95%. Paces on-time performance

858
01:16:39,210 --> 01:16:46,650
through the second quarter was 84% less than 1% lower compared to 2019. Next slide.

859
01:16:49,080 --> 01:16:49,400
For this

860
01:16:49,400 --> 01:16:53,040
quarterly spotlight, I'd like to talk to you about what is happening with ridership at the

861
01:16:53,040 --> 01:16:57,740
agencies in the United States. This chart shows the change in year-to-date

862
01:16:57,740 --> 01:17:01,740
ridership data for the RTA system in nine peer regions used in our annual

863
01:17:01,740 --> 01:17:07,460
peer performance reports as compared to ridership through June 19, 2019. The

864
01:17:07,460 --> 01:17:12,800
Chicago Regions ridership's loss of 46% as staggering as it is with somewhat

865
01:17:12,800 --> 01:17:17,020
better compared to the older systems in the more densely populated city such as

866
01:17:17,020 --> 01:17:21,880
New York, Philadelphia, and Boston. The lowest ridership losses in Houston and

867
01:17:21,880 --> 01:17:25,680
reflect the decision by the Texas governor to end their shutdown significantly

868
01:17:25,680 --> 01:17:28,640
earlier than other regions. Next slide.

869
01:17:31,570 --> 01:17:35,610
In summary, the first half of 2020 shows the impacts of COVID-19.

870
01:17:36,370 --> 01:17:42,110
Capital work has continued, but operations have been affected. In the next presentation,

871
01:17:42,370 --> 01:17:47,250
we will talk more about what the future might hold. Thank you and I'm happy to try to answer any questions.

872
01:17:58,170 --> 01:18:01,470
I see no hands raised for questions. Any questions?

873
01:18:01,470 --> 01:18:02,210
All

874
01:18:07,460 --> 01:18:17,600
right, let's move on to 6B and overview of the Strategic COVID-19 Recovery Planning for the RTA. Jessica, you're going to brief the board.

875
01:18:19,280 --> 01:18:24,300
Good morning. Thanks, Chairman Dillard, and members for the opportunity to be here with you today.

876
01:18:25,340 --> 01:18:29,620
I am Jessica Hector, Sue, I'm the Director of Planning and Market Development at RTA.

877
01:18:29,620 --> 01:18:32,740
And I'm going to be talking with you about the future.

878
01:18:33,540 --> 01:18:37,600
As you've been hearing throughout the meeting, this is an extraordinarily challenging time

879
01:18:37,600 --> 01:18:38,260
for transit.

880
01:18:38,900 --> 01:18:42,180
And we unfortunately don't know what the next few years are going to hold.

881
01:18:43,080 --> 01:18:45,740
We hope that things will return to normal soon.

882
01:18:46,320 --> 01:18:49,520
The transit use will rebound on its own without any interventions.

883
01:18:50,180 --> 01:18:52,660
But we also know that transit's very important to the region,

884
01:18:52,660 --> 01:18:55,300
and we want to be prepared for what might be ahead.

885
01:18:55,300 --> 01:19:00,920
We have unfortunately seen our peers in New York and in San Francisco and in other areas

886
01:19:00,920 --> 01:19:04,880
really struggle through some financial crises, and we want to avoid that.

887
01:19:05,200 --> 01:19:07,560
So that is the purpose of our discussion today.

888
01:19:08,520 --> 01:19:09,120
Next slide, please.

889
01:19:13,120 --> 01:19:17,700
Our key approach to recovery planning has been very multifaceted as you've been hearing

890
01:19:17,700 --> 01:19:18,360
throughout the meeting.

891
01:19:18,800 --> 01:19:21,480
We are hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.

892
01:19:21,900 --> 01:19:28,300
We continue to remind everybody about our existing strategic goals and vision, because we think

893
01:19:28,300 --> 01:19:30,040
That's really important at a time like this.

894
01:19:30,840 --> 01:19:33,520
We are also monitoring the status of transit overall

895
01:19:33,520 --> 01:19:35,860
and doing our best to communicate about the impacts

896
01:19:35,860 --> 01:19:37,300
through the dashboard that you've seen

897
01:19:37,300 --> 01:19:38,960
and through emails and other communications.

898
01:19:39,680 --> 01:19:41,960
We're also participating in and coordinating

899
01:19:41,960 --> 01:19:43,960
with several other recovery efforts

900
01:19:43,960 --> 01:19:45,060
that others are leading.

901
01:19:45,480 --> 01:19:47,740
The city of Chicago has a couple of efforts

902
01:19:47,740 --> 01:19:48,820
they're working towards.

903
01:19:49,240 --> 01:19:51,240
The county board chair has been having conversations

904
01:19:51,840 --> 01:19:53,620
and we're a part of all of those.

905
01:19:54,220 --> 01:19:55,600
They're very valuable to us,

906
01:19:55,760 --> 01:19:57,640
but we also thought it would be valuable

907
01:19:57,640 --> 01:20:00,500
to have a very focused conversation about transit as well.

908
01:20:01,520 --> 01:20:04,060
So we've opted to do what we're calling a scenario planning

909
01:20:04,060 --> 01:20:04,560
project.

910
01:20:05,140 --> 01:20:07,020
And in this project, we are really thinking

911
01:20:07,020 --> 01:20:08,840
about what could be coming in the future

912
01:20:09,400 --> 01:20:11,940
for mobility in general and for transit specifically.

913
01:20:12,540 --> 01:20:15,540
And we're looking a bit beyond where we are right now.

914
01:20:15,640 --> 01:20:18,460
I know it's hard to think about that, but say one to two years

915
01:20:18,460 --> 01:20:20,360
out, because it's a little bit tricky

916
01:20:20,360 --> 01:20:21,740
to put a timeline on recovery.

917
01:20:22,280 --> 01:20:25,020
We don't really know how long the virus impacts will last.

918
01:20:25,020 --> 01:20:28,780
We don't know when a safe vaccine will be widely available.

919
01:20:29,300 --> 01:20:31,020
We don't know when regular life will resume,

920
01:20:31,020 --> 01:20:33,660
and transit is very dependent upon all of this.

921
01:20:34,200 --> 01:20:36,020
So in our scenario planning work,

922
01:20:36,160 --> 01:20:37,700
we're not trying to predict the timeline.

923
01:20:38,140 --> 01:20:40,080
So much is to start talking about the fact

924
01:20:40,080 --> 01:20:42,100
that change will probably be necessary,

925
01:20:42,600 --> 01:20:44,360
and that RTA might want to take the lead

926
01:20:44,360 --> 01:20:46,800
in that discussion as the funding and the planning agency

927
01:20:46,800 --> 01:20:47,980
for the three operators.

928
01:20:49,400 --> 01:20:51,920
We're also looking at a range of possibilities

929
01:20:51,920 --> 01:20:54,440
rather than just one, because we want to be prepared

930
01:20:54,440 --> 01:20:56,600
and we want to be adaptable and hedge our bets a bit.

931
01:20:57,800 --> 01:21:00,340
We're also choosing to engage stakeholders,

932
01:21:00,340 --> 01:21:02,560
which I'll talk a little bit more about in a minute,

933
01:21:02,700 --> 01:21:04,040
but we want to get input from those

934
01:21:04,040 --> 01:21:05,740
with whom we interact regularly.

935
01:21:06,400 --> 01:21:08,380
So today I'm going to give you an overview of the work

936
01:21:08,380 --> 01:21:11,340
with a specific focus, again, on this scenario planning exercise.

937
01:21:11,460 --> 01:21:12,340
Next slide, please.

938
01:21:15,470 --> 01:21:16,870
We're going to be reminding stakeholders,

939
01:21:16,910 --> 01:21:18,790
as I mentioned about the strategic plans.

940
01:21:18,810 --> 01:21:20,450
They'll already reminded you about it,

941
01:21:20,470 --> 01:21:21,790
but many of you were on the board

942
01:21:21,790 --> 01:21:23,430
when we adopted it two years ago.

943
01:21:23,770 --> 01:21:24,910
And this was a collective effort

944
01:21:24,910 --> 01:21:28,630
between RTA and the service board and it's definitely guided our work since then.

945
01:21:29,530 --> 01:21:30,130
Next slide please.

946
01:21:32,360 --> 01:21:36,980
The plan has a very bold vision for transit as the core of the region's mobility

947
01:21:36,980 --> 01:21:43,320
network. It also talked about the need for long-term sustainable capital funding which we made progress

948
01:21:43,320 --> 01:21:47,580
toward with the passage of rebuildel in my last year. Next slide.

949
01:21:49,860 --> 01:21:51,440
The plan also has got three goals

950
01:21:51,440 --> 01:21:56,160
which we reviewed during our quarterly reports every quarter and you just heard one of them.

951
01:21:56,160 --> 01:22:01,460
The first goal delivered value on our investment relates to financial stewardship and funding.

952
01:22:02,140 --> 01:22:08,540
The second goal builds on the strengths of our network focuses on improvements to the existing transit system that we have.

953
01:22:09,420 --> 01:22:12,180
And the third goal state competitive focuses on innovation.

954
01:22:13,220 --> 01:22:20,540
So we started 2020 and sending to focus on these goals and to be focusing on capital investments but next slide.

955
01:22:21,900 --> 01:22:23,700
and March everything changed.

956
01:22:24,140 --> 01:22:27,420
The State Home Order was issued in Illinois on March 21,

957
01:22:27,920 --> 01:22:30,540
and very quickly we saw changes in our economy,

958
01:22:31,400 --> 01:22:33,760
and movements, and perceptions of public health,

959
01:22:33,960 --> 01:22:37,640
and trend it was very much impacted, as was said next slide.

960
01:22:40,040 --> 01:22:42,360
As we've already mentioned several times throughout this meeting,

961
01:22:42,620 --> 01:22:44,180
transit use changed significantly.

962
01:22:44,960 --> 01:22:46,800
You've seen this chart from our dashboard,

963
01:22:46,800 --> 01:22:51,700
and March, transit use shifted to meeting the needs of essential workers.

964
01:22:51,700 --> 01:22:56,800
and most non-essential workers stopped riding as soon as the state homeowner was in place and

965
01:22:56,800 --> 01:23:01,940
ridership plummeted. There has been a slow increase throughout the summer, but as of early

966
01:23:01,940 --> 01:23:07,860
August ridership across all of our systems is still down about 66%. Next slide please.

967
01:23:09,800 --> 01:23:14,440
The transit agencies also had to change their focuses in March to manage the public health crisis and

968
01:23:14,440 --> 01:23:21,580
the new demands that came with it. They already popped at length about this, so I'm not going to

969
01:23:21,580 --> 01:23:25,500
Part of, frankly, not part of the original plan for 2020, next slide.

970
01:23:27,420 --> 01:23:31,000
Each of the service boards also tailored its level of service to me.

971
01:23:31,160 --> 01:23:32,200
It's right at Ryder's knees.

972
01:23:32,620 --> 01:23:35,400
They already talked about this as well, but here we're showing it on a map.

973
01:23:35,880 --> 01:23:41,520
So on the left, you see all CTA Matron paste services before the pandemic and darker lines.

974
01:23:42,140 --> 01:23:46,460
And on the right, we've lightened all of the services that have been reduced or suspended.

975
01:23:46,460 --> 01:23:51,500
So you see right there how much these changes have affected our regional transit footprint.

976
01:23:52,480 --> 01:23:53,400
Next slide.

977
01:23:55,260 --> 01:23:57,320
Project funding has also been impacted.

978
01:23:57,900 --> 01:24:05,940
Two key sources of our funding, sales tax revenue and Fairbox revenue, were on par with previous years in January and February.

979
01:24:06,480 --> 01:24:10,000
But by March and April, both of those had dropped significantly.

980
01:24:10,720 --> 01:24:16,920
Fortunately, the CARES Act funding will be available to us to cover unexpected costs

981
01:24:16,920 --> 01:24:21,300
and those operating deficits, but it's unclear whether there will be any other additional

982
01:24:21,300 --> 01:24:22,140
federal packages.

983
01:24:22,540 --> 01:24:26,020
So, we're advocating for it, but we're also under pressure to make it last.

984
01:24:27,900 --> 01:24:28,480
Next slide, please.

985
01:24:30,670 --> 01:24:36,510
Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, we are not alone in this transit agency that crossed

986
01:24:36,510 --> 01:24:40,210
the world as an impacted Jill shared a bit about transit agencies in the US.

987
01:24:40,730 --> 01:24:46,550
This chart shows transit agencies across the world from UITP, which is sort of an app to the world.

988
01:24:47,330 --> 01:24:53,070
You can see here that no worldwide system has fully recovered yet. This is showing over in the number of weeks

989
01:24:53,070 --> 01:24:59,290
after their lockdowns were lifted, where their ridership is relatively normal. No one has recovered anywhere in the world.

990
01:25:00,030 --> 01:25:05,410
So in more towards the bottom, where the red lines were the bottom of the screen along with New York and some other U.S. cities.

991
01:25:05,410 --> 01:25:12,470
So on this basis, we know that there are challenges ahead, and that the timing and the sense of recovery is very uncertain.

992
01:25:13,310 --> 01:25:13,870
Next slide, please.

993
01:25:16,810 --> 01:25:17,490
Next slide, please.

994
01:25:19,290 --> 01:25:22,030
So that brings us to our scenario planning project.

995
01:25:22,830 --> 01:25:27,590
We started this project by developing several different scenarios.

996
01:25:28,030 --> 01:25:31,310
They each represent a different vision of the world and what the world's doing.

997
01:25:31,310 --> 01:25:37,690
and they explore changes to the transit system based on the economy overall and how transit

998
01:25:37,690 --> 01:25:39,390
funding will be impacted in time.

999
01:25:40,270 --> 01:25:45,010
Commuting and how transit volumes will be affected if more people are indeed working

1000
01:25:45,010 --> 01:25:51,970
from home and transit motorists, how much transit use will change based on people's perception

1001
01:25:51,970 --> 01:25:52,650
of transit.

1002
01:25:53,290 --> 01:25:59,510
So we developed two analytical tools to estimate the impact of each scenario on funding

1003
01:25:59,510 --> 01:26:06,730
relative to 2019. We focus on funding because that helps us see how much fine power we have in each

1004
01:26:06,730 --> 01:26:11,650
scenario and how much mobility we can provide in the region in turn. Next slide, please.

1005
01:26:13,490 --> 01:26:18,050
It's not really, it's not about getting the right answer in the sector size. We have other spheres

1006
01:26:18,050 --> 01:26:22,930
in which we know that we need to do that, but the sector size is really about exploring different

1007
01:26:22,930 --> 01:26:28,030
features and thinking about how they would impact transit and having a conversation about how we

1008
01:26:28,030 --> 01:26:29,310
need to be prepared for action.

1009
01:26:29,890 --> 01:26:32,050
It's not used to manage the current crisis.

1010
01:26:32,330 --> 01:26:34,410
You heard the service boards they're doing that very well.

1011
01:26:34,930 --> 01:26:37,230
It's not even about predicting the likelihood

1012
01:26:37,230 --> 01:26:40,070
of any of these occurring or talking

1013
01:26:40,070 --> 01:26:41,730
about what we think people will be doing,

1014
01:26:41,870 --> 01:26:45,210
but more again, a structure for some conversations.

1015
01:26:45,790 --> 01:26:46,370
So next slide, please.

1016
01:26:48,780 --> 01:26:50,860
We developed six different scenarios.

1017
01:26:51,160 --> 01:26:55,800
They range from a solid economy in which people aren't working

1018
01:26:55,800 --> 01:26:57,740
or traveling at all on one extreme.

1019
01:26:57,740 --> 01:27:03,860
to a more positive feature in which sustainable shared travel bounces back on the other extreme.

1020
01:27:04,860 --> 01:27:09,660
It's important to note that we don't have any scenario in which we think that things would return

1021
01:27:09,660 --> 01:27:16,640
exactly to the way they were in 2019. All of the scenarios assume some higher level of teleworking

1022
01:27:16,640 --> 01:27:24,600
and other shifts in industry and behavior. None of them do assume we'll return to 2019. Next slide, please.

1023
01:27:26,060 --> 01:27:29,760
Today, we're just going to focus on three of them and talk about them in a little bit more detail.

1024
01:27:30,520 --> 01:27:36,800
So, from left to right, these include the Stalled Economy scenario, the congested recovery scenario,

1025
01:27:37,180 --> 01:27:39,400
and we're calling a regional remix scenario.

1026
01:27:40,240 --> 01:27:45,240
And these three represent the book ends of the scenarios on each extreme and then one in the middle.

1027
01:27:46,160 --> 01:27:51,700
They're all different, but they're all possible futures that again help frame a good discussion about what the future of trends

1028
01:27:51,700 --> 01:27:54,600
And it would look like if we ended up in one of these scenarios.

1029
01:27:55,860 --> 01:27:58,740
So now I'll walk through each of them individually in a bit more detail.

1030
01:27:58,740 --> 01:27:59,500
Next slide, please.

1031
01:28:02,780 --> 01:28:03,340
Next slide, please.

1032
01:28:04,060 --> 01:28:04,160
Thank you.

1033
01:28:04,560 --> 01:28:07,520
The first scenario is this stalled economy scenario.

1034
01:28:07,700 --> 01:28:13,060
So just to orient you to this slide, on the right, we have three sliders representing those

1035
01:28:13,060 --> 01:28:13,800
impact lovers.

1036
01:28:14,020 --> 01:28:17,660
I mentioned a minute ago, the economy commuting and transit mode share.

1037
01:28:18,200 --> 01:28:22,700
And we're using the circles to show how these three lovers and this scenario change relative

1038
01:28:22,700 --> 01:28:23,460
to 2019.

1039
01:28:23,460 --> 01:28:29,480
So a circle above the line means that this lever is performing better than 2019, a circle

1040
01:28:29,480 --> 01:28:32,520
below the line means that it's performing less or worse than 2019.

1041
01:28:33,200 --> 01:28:39,100
And on the left, we have a narrative that describes this scenario in terms of what's going

1042
01:28:39,100 --> 01:28:45,000
on overall, when this scenario could reasonably occur because they're all a little bit different

1043
01:28:45,000 --> 01:28:51,820
in terms of their timeline, and how well the regional transit system is prepared to navigate

1044
01:28:51,820 --> 01:28:54,000
the scenario if it does occur.

1045
01:28:55,660 --> 01:29:00,900
So going through this, all the economy scenario, the narrative here is that the U.S. plunges

1046
01:29:00,900 --> 01:29:06,860
into an economic depression, in which unemployment is high and travel is depressed overall.

1047
01:29:07,380 --> 01:29:12,880
So the economy, commuting, and the transit mode share are all lower worse than 2019.

1048
01:29:14,120 --> 01:29:19,660
In terms of when this would happen, this could happen anytime, or in the near term, without

1049
01:29:19,660 --> 01:29:20,720
any kind of intervention.

1050
01:29:20,720 --> 01:29:26,280
And if it does occur, we really don't have policies in place that help us navigate that.

1051
01:29:28,790 --> 01:29:34,110
We would need to do something to deal with the fact that we have less funding available

1052
01:29:34,110 --> 01:29:36,170
to us and something major would need to change.

1053
01:29:36,730 --> 01:29:37,330
Next slide, please.

1054
01:29:40,190 --> 01:29:43,470
The second scenario we have is called a congested recovery scenario.

1055
01:29:44,110 --> 01:29:49,290
And in this scenario, we're actually looking at a rebounding economy.

1056
01:29:49,290 --> 01:29:55,810
The economy goes back to 2019 levels, but more people are telecommuting and I'm meeting

1057
01:29:55,810 --> 01:29:59,830
overall a little bit down, and the people who do can you choose to drive.

1058
01:30:00,110 --> 01:30:24,810
They don't want to take transit, because they're afraid or it doesn't work for them. They're driving. Like the previous scenario, this could happen anytime. One might argue that we're starting to see this happen a little bit, as people go back to their cars, congestion starting to rise again. Again, the policy that we have in place, both for transportation in general and even transit to a degree, don't really help us navigate.

1059
01:30:34,240 --> 01:30:38,860
The congestion from becoming so extreme that it actually stymies economic development and actually

1060
01:30:38,860 --> 01:30:40,460
who prevents us from fully recovering,

1061
01:30:40,640 --> 01:30:42,380
particularly in downtown Chicago.

1062
01:30:45,790 --> 01:30:46,270
Next slide, please.

1063
01:30:51,220 --> 01:30:53,480
In the third scenario that we'll talk about today,

1064
01:30:53,760 --> 01:30:55,700
this one is called the Regional Remix scenario.

1065
01:30:55,960 --> 01:30:58,900
So in this scenario, the economy fully revounds

1066
01:30:58,900 --> 01:31:01,000
and actually exceeds 2019 levels.

1067
01:31:01,580 --> 01:31:04,040
More people are still telecommuting,

1068
01:31:04,240 --> 01:31:06,800
so commuting's down, but the people who are traveling

1069
01:31:06,800 --> 01:31:10,120
and even non-commuters are choosing to take transit more often.

1070
01:31:10,800 --> 01:31:12,720
This reality is the kind of reality

1071
01:31:12,720 --> 01:31:14,140
that urban planners envision.

1072
01:31:14,140 --> 01:31:19,620
and then we talk about in some of our regional plans, but unlike previous scenarios, this

1073
01:31:19,620 --> 01:31:24,220
one is unlikely to occur in the near term. It's unlikely to occur on its own at all. It

1074
01:31:24,220 --> 01:31:29,820
would definitely require some interventions, policy interventions on our part, to make sure

1075
01:31:30,360 --> 01:31:35,500
that this kind of reality, this kind of scenario could become reality. So these three slides really

1076
01:31:35,500 --> 01:31:40,820
represent the inputs to our estimation tools and the thought processes going into the scenarios.

1077
01:31:41,440 --> 01:31:46,980
The next slide, if you go to the next slide, actually shows the output of that analysis.

1078
01:31:48,040 --> 01:31:53,640
So to orient you to this slide, we have three bars, each representing the funding we

1079
01:31:53,640 --> 01:31:56,960
estimate that would be available in each scenario relative to 2019.

1080
01:31:57,820 --> 01:32:03,500
So the light gray, each bar, there is one bar for each scenario, and the light gray portion

1081
01:32:03,500 --> 01:32:08,100
is a public revenue, so that's our sales tax and other forms of public funding.

1082
01:32:08,660 --> 01:32:12,560
The dark grape cart is the system revenue, which is mostly fairs.

1083
01:32:13,920 --> 01:32:16,020
Together they comprise all of our funding.

1084
01:32:16,500 --> 01:32:19,000
The blue line at the top is the 2019 baseline.

1085
01:32:20,140 --> 01:32:25,400
You can see that we've estimated that in a stall economy scenario, like the one I described,

1086
01:32:26,040 --> 01:32:28,780
we would have 45% left funding.

1087
01:32:28,780 --> 01:32:31,120
We're transit buying power than in 2019.

1088
01:32:31,800 --> 01:32:35,680
The economy is not doing well and travels down, so all of our sources are funding,

1089
01:32:35,680 --> 01:32:41,700
funding are not doing well. The middle one that congested a recovery scenario is

1090
01:32:41,700 --> 01:32:47,360
estimated to provide about 20% less fine power than we had in 2019. In this one

1091
01:32:47,360 --> 01:32:50,540
it was a little bit different and that public revenue in this scenario is

1092
01:32:50,540 --> 01:32:55,840
actually doing well because the economy has recovered and sales tax levels are

1093
01:32:55,840 --> 01:33:01,420
high but system revenue is still very low because people are not riding, they're

1094
01:33:01,420 --> 01:33:05,160
driving, they're not riding transit. So overall the impact of that is 20% less.

1095
01:33:06,080 --> 01:33:11,500
The third scenario on the right, the regional remix one is the only scenario of all six

1096
01:33:11,500 --> 01:33:15,760
that we looked at in which we would yield, but there would be a little bit more buying

1097
01:33:15,760 --> 01:33:16,820
power than in 2019.

1098
01:33:17,080 --> 01:33:21,100
And here we're saying we could have something like maybe five percent more than we had in

1099
01:33:21,100 --> 01:33:24,180
2019 if this scenario were to become reality.

1100
01:33:24,780 --> 01:33:28,660
And in this case, both public revenue and system revenue are very healthy.

1101
01:33:29,460 --> 01:33:34,280
But that one, again, that one is unlikely to occur without some significant policy interventions

1102
01:33:34,280 --> 01:33:38,340
where the other two could happen on their own with really no action on our part.

1103
01:33:39,460 --> 01:33:40,820
So moving on to the next slide.

1104
01:33:42,860 --> 01:33:46,140
This is how these scenarios look alongside 2020.

1105
01:33:47,220 --> 01:33:53,940
This is a projection for all of the whole year of 2020 and what we think this year will look like.

1106
01:33:54,120 --> 01:33:56,340
So we think we'll have 25% less revenue.

1107
01:33:56,880 --> 01:34:01,040
Again, CARES Act funding is being used to make up that deficit this year,

1108
01:34:01,620 --> 01:34:06,540
but time will tell whether more funding will be available, so moving on to the next slide.

1109
01:34:09,930 --> 01:34:16,370
So with this work initially completed now, and some idea about these scenarios and what their impacts would be,

1110
01:34:16,730 --> 01:34:22,490
we are now planning to use them to structure a discussion with stakeholders over the next couple of weeks.

1111
01:34:23,230 --> 01:34:28,790
We will be having two virtual sessions, one in August 24th, one in August 31st,

1112
01:34:28,790 --> 01:34:31,370
in which we will share this information with stakeholders

1113
01:34:31,370 --> 01:34:35,050
and ask them about the kinds of actions that we should take

1114
01:34:35,050 --> 01:34:38,490
to continue to pursue invest in transit goals

1115
01:34:38,490 --> 01:34:40,630
in what might be very different environments.

1116
01:34:41,690 --> 01:34:45,650
We will take what we learned from those sessions

1117
01:34:45,650 --> 01:34:47,510
rather and share it back with you in the fall

1118
01:34:47,510 --> 01:34:50,010
so that you can keep likewise here from our stakeholders

1119
01:34:50,010 --> 01:34:53,310
and we will use the information that we need

1120
01:34:53,310 --> 01:34:55,270
to help guide our work going forward.

1121
01:34:56,730 --> 01:34:57,450
Next slide.

1122
01:34:57,450 --> 01:35:03,060
So that concludes the information that I've prepared to share with you.

1123
01:35:03,380 --> 01:35:09,600
I'm going to pause here now and ask for your info or your thoughts on what COVID impacts

1124
01:35:09,600 --> 01:35:15,260
you're concerned about and how we might use these scenarios to capture feedback from our

1125
01:35:15,260 --> 01:35:15,740
stakeholders.

1126
01:35:17,950 --> 01:35:21,050
I will pause it now and have Audrey let me know if anyone has questions.

1127
01:35:26,840 --> 01:35:28,280
Director Holt has a question.

1128
01:35:28,780 --> 01:35:30,240
You can lower your hand and unmute.

1129
01:35:32,300 --> 01:35:34,280
Thank you Audrey and thank you Jessica.

1130
01:35:34,280 --> 01:35:43,040
I actually got a couple of comments and questions, so certainly if there's another member of the board that has questions, please feel free to interrupt me.

1131
01:35:44,280 --> 01:35:51,080
Jessica, just starting with three scenarios, could you talk a little bit about why you picked the regional remix?

1132
01:35:51,800 --> 01:36:03,580
I see the first two scenarios, actually all the other scenarios in the list as scenarios that we have to respond to, but in contrast the regional remix scenario is one that we would have to make happen.

1133
01:36:03,580 --> 01:36:07,480
and I think it's a slightly different approach

1134
01:36:07,480 --> 01:36:09,760
and I'm interested in hearing your thoughts about that.

1135
01:36:11,040 --> 01:36:12,580
Thanks, that's a great question.

1136
01:36:13,540 --> 01:36:18,260
So we, as I mentioned, initially looked at six different scenarios

1137
01:36:18,260 --> 01:36:22,120
but that is a lot to go over a lot to think about.

1138
01:36:22,680 --> 01:36:25,500
And so when we were thinking about talking with you all

1139
01:36:25,500 --> 01:36:27,280
and talking with our stakeholders, we thought,

1140
01:36:27,580 --> 01:36:29,400
let's choose fewer of them.

1141
01:36:29,400 --> 01:36:34,680
But let's make sure that one of the scenarios is a scenario that we can aim toward.

1142
01:36:35,440 --> 01:36:38,160
You know, this is not a fun conversation to be having.

1143
01:36:38,280 --> 01:36:40,300
None of us want to be having any of the conversation.

1144
01:36:40,300 --> 01:36:42,020
We've been having all morning, frankly, right?

1145
01:36:42,700 --> 01:36:49,220
So a lot of our scenarios exist in that reality that there are going to happen that we don't

1146
01:36:49,220 --> 01:36:49,640
want to see.

1147
01:36:50,020 --> 01:36:54,420
That scenario that the remix scenario looks at, what do we want to happen?

1148
01:36:56,780 --> 01:36:57,040
Okay.

1149
01:36:57,420 --> 01:36:57,740
Thank you.

1150
01:36:57,740 --> 01:36:59,680
You know, just a comment on that.

1151
01:36:59,780 --> 01:37:06,400
I mean, it seems that there were in a situation now where we certainly should have a conversation

1152
01:37:06,400 --> 01:37:08,520
about what we want to see happen.

1153
01:37:09,120 --> 01:37:10,380
But there's also a reality.

1154
01:37:10,880 --> 01:37:16,620
There's the possible realities that we're facing, right, which are more reflective of the other scenarios that you all have presented.

1155
01:37:17,160 --> 01:37:25,580
And it seems to me that in this conversation that it probably, it isn't just about feedback or socialization,

1156
01:37:25,580 --> 01:37:31,960
we're getting information, but also a conversation that we need to have about what changes do we have to make in response.

1157
01:37:32,780 --> 01:37:40,360
And how are we going to deal with these scenarios, what changes do we need to see whether we're talking about service levels,

1158
01:37:40,980 --> 01:37:46,160
how we support people who don't have options other than transit, how we think about the footprint of our system,

1159
01:37:46,340 --> 01:37:52,320
how we think about what the public support for transit needs to look like going forward.

1160
01:37:52,320 --> 01:38:01,220
And so I think, as I said, I think we've got to expand the conversation beyond just information

1161
01:38:01,220 --> 01:38:03,100
and just what people would like to see.

1162
01:38:08,070 --> 01:38:08,710
We appreciate that.

1163
01:38:09,430 --> 01:38:16,030
And then one other comment or question I have for you is, you know, I know you were talking

1164
01:38:16,030 --> 01:38:20,690
about this as being sort of looking forward to the future and not to the immediate term.

1165
01:38:20,690 --> 01:38:50,570
but it does seem to me that the scenarios that we're facing that they really do have an immediate impact and that they are something that that's information that we actually have to take forward into the upcoming budget conversations because if we're facing say you're, you know, worst case scenario or even any of the scenarios that we're looking at, those are going to have to inform and drive our decisions for the FYI and the service force decisions for the FY21 budget.

1166
01:38:50,570 --> 01:38:54,090
and I'd be interested in hearing a little bit of slide on that from you all.

1167
01:38:56,630 --> 01:38:57,410
Sure, yes.

1168
01:38:57,910 --> 01:39:02,370
So, yes, this project gives focus beyond where we are right now, intentionally,

1169
01:39:02,910 --> 01:39:05,130
knowing that we are having budget conversations.

1170
01:39:05,890 --> 01:39:11,810
Our internal team includes people from our finance team and institutions, government affairs

1171
01:39:11,810 --> 01:39:15,670
and others who are having those same conversations alongside this.

1172
01:39:15,850 --> 01:39:17,910
So we're definitely staying coordinated within our TA.

1173
01:39:18,750 --> 01:39:22,470
And we're going to use the information we've learned from this to inform the budget process.

1174
01:39:23,450 --> 01:39:26,410
Would anyone, and would you like to add anything to that?

1175
01:39:32,060 --> 01:39:37,220
And, and I think of sharing this information with the service boards, making this available.

1176
01:39:37,520 --> 01:39:39,900
We did do a briefing for them last week.

1177
01:39:40,620 --> 01:39:44,700
And, and our hope is as we sort of take this from sort of some baseline scenario.

1178
01:39:45,700 --> 01:39:47,320
As we're looking at both the.

1179
01:39:48,780 --> 01:39:56,580
2021 budget, but even sort of end beyond having service boards further engage in this conversation

1180
01:39:56,580 --> 01:40:03,100
because I think it's a good way to start those framing questions and really having the

1181
01:40:03,100 --> 01:40:06,520
difficult conversations that I fundamentally think we're going to be having over the next,

1182
01:40:06,840 --> 01:40:08,900
not just for 2021 budget, but beyond.

1183
01:40:12,840 --> 01:40:17,180
No, I agree. Liam, and that's I think part of my overall,

1184
01:40:17,180 --> 01:40:21,180
I guess part of my overall comment and concern is to use this as an opportunity to think about

1185
01:40:21,180 --> 01:40:23,300
what those difficult conversations need to be like.

1186
01:40:23,920 --> 01:40:29,560
What need to be, you know, having a robust transit in the region is really critical as

1187
01:40:29,560 --> 01:40:34,200
we all know to the economy of the region, but we are faced with a situation that may require

1188
01:40:34,200 --> 01:40:39,020
us to have some difficult conversations and potentially make difficult choices.

1189
01:40:39,360 --> 01:40:44,860
And so thinking about that in the context of what's coming up, not just in FY21, but in

1190
01:40:44,860 --> 01:40:49,900
by 22 and bringing that conversation forward to the extent that the can seems to meet

1191
01:40:49,900 --> 01:40:53,120
it. It's very important. But thank you all very much.

1192
01:40:55,410 --> 01:40:58,730
Director Kerry has a question. Please lower your hand and unmute.

1193
01:41:06,170 --> 01:41:06,650
Unmute?

1194
01:41:10,020 --> 01:41:12,080
Sorry, Audrey. Took me a second. There to find.

1195
01:41:13,000 --> 01:41:17,320
I want to echo some of the comments, Director Holt made.

1196
01:41:19,520 --> 01:41:24,340
Let me start with where you just were ending I think which is we'll have very difficult

1197
01:41:24,340 --> 01:41:29,680
conversations to make I think coming up. I mean if we're fortunate to get more money out of

1198
01:41:29,680 --> 01:41:35,580
the federal government and I would hope we would to carry us perhaps through 2021. I mean at some

1199
01:41:35,580 --> 01:41:44,580
point and one of the slides you showed said that 2020 we will be 25 percent below what we would

1200
01:41:44,580 --> 01:41:50,300
have hoped to be in terms of funding but that included the cares money. You take the cares money out

1201
01:41:50,300 --> 01:41:57,420
and we're way, way below. So we will have very difficult conversations, and I think as we look at where

1202
01:41:57,420 --> 01:42:03,900
we're going to go and how we might recover from this, we've had an opportunity to say when push

1203
01:42:03,900 --> 01:42:12,380
comes to shove who needs public transportation, and we've seen that a lot of the folks such as myself

1204
01:42:12,380 --> 01:42:17,960
and others that live in the suburbs and take matters downtown were able to work from home to a large

1205
01:42:17,960 --> 01:42:24,120
extent we're able to get in a car if you really had to go somewhere, but there's a huge population

1206
01:42:24,120 --> 01:42:31,080
across the Metro Chicago area that perhaps doesn't even have a car. And the only way to get to work,

1207
01:42:31,360 --> 01:42:38,580
get to shop, to do anything is to have public transportation. So I think that's one thing I wanted

1208
01:42:38,580 --> 01:42:45,120
to stress is that if we were starting from scratch to build a system, we would look at who needs

1209
01:42:45,120 --> 01:42:50,860
to the most, where we really need to provide critical services.

1210
01:42:51,500 --> 01:42:56,660
The other point I want to make is that before COVID happened, and I've only been on the

1211
01:42:56,660 --> 01:43:02,140
board just about a year, a little over a year, but before COVID happened, there were a lot

1212
01:43:02,140 --> 01:43:09,520
of discussions about amongst all the different boards, PACE, CTA, et cetera, innovative services

1213
01:43:09,520 --> 01:43:18,220
are looking at, in particular, pays perhaps on advanced service, looking at micro transit.

1214
01:43:18,740 --> 01:43:28,500
How do we, a suburb, the suburb, the suburb to suburb, provision of transportation, public transit?

1215
01:43:29,420 --> 01:43:36,980
So I think as we look forward, we're kind of at opportunity to perhaps not start from scratch,

1216
01:43:36,980 --> 01:43:38,620
that's because we're having these conversations

1217
01:43:38,620 --> 01:43:40,580
and we have a great system in place,

1218
01:43:41,000 --> 01:43:45,940
but we really need to look at who needs the service,

1219
01:43:46,280 --> 01:43:48,460
where do we need it, how do we provide it?

1220
01:43:49,660 --> 01:43:51,240
I guess what I, the bottom line is,

1221
01:43:51,440 --> 01:43:55,440
we don't wanna just go back to where we were in February or March

1222
01:43:55,440 --> 01:43:59,040
because we were looking beyond that to begin with.

1223
01:43:59,480 --> 01:44:02,840
So, and we need to take this opportunity,

1224
01:44:03,360 --> 01:44:05,920
I think to kind of rise out of the ashes

1225
01:44:05,920 --> 01:44:11,860
a little bit, and come on a little bit better, different though, very different, and I think

1226
01:44:11,860 --> 01:44:16,560
we will have extremely difficult conversations in terms of the financial impact.

1227
01:44:17,900 --> 01:44:20,540
So that's, it wasn't so much a question, it was my comments.

1228
01:44:20,940 --> 01:44:21,220
Thank you.

1229
01:44:23,210 --> 01:44:24,350
Thank you, you're welcome to carry.

1230
01:44:25,810 --> 01:44:27,890
Director, Director Canty has a question.

1231
01:44:28,190 --> 01:44:29,530
Please lower your hand and unmute.

1232
01:44:36,270 --> 01:44:36,730
Unmute?

1233
01:44:36,830 --> 01:44:38,530
Director, can you hear me?

1234
01:44:39,210 --> 01:44:39,370
Yes.

1235
01:44:39,610 --> 01:44:39,910
Thank you.

1236
01:44:40,850 --> 01:44:46,630
fantastic. I wanted to echo some of the comments made by director's holes and director

1237
01:44:46,630 --> 01:44:53,850
Kerry and thank you all for this presentation and I want to seize on something that I heard

1238
01:44:53,850 --> 01:44:59,710
director Kerry say that this is an opportunity for us. I know we've been talking about how

1239
01:45:00,000 --> 01:45:29,900
So we get to where we were and how do we bring these revenues back up. But I think what we're seeing is a real opportunity to create some change and develop the transit system that we want to see to a certain extent. And I do say that will involve challenging conversations and I hesitate to use their difficult conversations because when I hear that, I think we're all trained to think of difficult conversations as we're going to have to stop doing things and we're not going to be able to

1240
01:45:30,540 --> 01:45:37,000
and what I want to think of them as challenging conversations because we're changing the way that people view transit

1241
01:45:37,000 --> 01:45:41,880
and what we do for those who need it and those, you know, to direct a carry point.

1242
01:45:42,320 --> 01:45:49,740
There's a large lot of the suburbs that, you know, workers were able to find ways to telecommute and work from home,

1243
01:45:49,940 --> 01:45:57,260
so perhaps in writing Metro as much, but this is an opportunity to provide some of that suburbs to suburb service

1244
01:45:57,260 --> 01:46:02,440
that we don't get as much out here at least in the northern suburbs, and I assume it's

1245
01:46:02,440 --> 01:46:07,360
a challenge for the southern suburbs as well. So I'm excited about that opportunity,

1246
01:46:07,360 --> 01:46:14,020
and I really like to keep it up in that way, as facing on an opportunity in what is a challenging

1247
01:46:14,020 --> 01:46:20,680
time for the region and state and nation, but looking at this as a way for us to start building up

1248
01:46:20,680 --> 01:46:25,900
a system that we can get excited about and be proud about that offers everything that our

1249
01:46:25,900 --> 01:46:28,560
that our riders need on all the different service boards

1250
01:46:28,560 --> 01:46:31,380
and really find a way to bring them into this fold

1251
01:46:31,380 --> 01:46:33,100
and have those conversations with our legislators.

1252
01:46:33,960 --> 01:46:34,300
So thank you.

1253
01:46:36,350 --> 01:46:37,310
Thank you, Dr. Surah.

1254
01:46:39,130 --> 01:46:40,730
Director Grohlvin has a question.

1255
01:46:40,890 --> 01:46:42,590
If you would lower your hand and unmute.

1256
01:46:46,680 --> 01:46:47,120
Thanks, Audrey.

1257
01:46:48,020 --> 01:46:48,760
And thank you, Jessica.

1258
01:46:48,940 --> 01:46:51,220
I think this is great to see that we're doing this

1259
01:46:51,220 --> 01:46:52,260
really important work.

1260
01:46:52,420 --> 01:46:57,260
I think we really need to be coming up with some responses

1261
01:46:57,260 --> 01:47:02,480
in plans that are going to be robust across multiple potential features, so I think this

1262
01:47:03,160 --> 01:47:08,880
approach is a great one. So thank you for that. I'll probably just take a second to just

1263
01:47:08,880 --> 01:47:16,240
reinforce what Director Saugher said so eloquently before. I had safety on my mind as a concern

1264
01:47:16,240 --> 01:47:22,100
here, but after hearing the great efforts and focus and dedication of the service boards and the

1265
01:47:22,100 --> 01:47:25,080
space of safety for our customers and our staff.

1266
01:47:26,340 --> 01:47:28,960
I just, again, reinforcing Dr. Saugher's words,

1267
01:47:29,900 --> 01:47:32,760
very, very eloquently, put how grateful and impressed

1268
01:47:32,760 --> 01:47:33,220
we should be.

1269
01:47:33,740 --> 01:47:36,900
I agree with the previous director's comments

1270
01:47:36,900 --> 01:47:39,500
about considering the near term too.

1271
01:47:39,640 --> 01:47:42,380
I think it would be helpful for us to consider at least

1272
01:47:42,380 --> 01:47:44,660
three periods as we're doing this kind of work.

1273
01:47:45,720 --> 01:47:48,920
The recovery, well, actually right now, the fact

1274
01:47:48,920 --> 01:47:51,860
that we're still in the pandemic, maybe a period around

1275
01:47:51,860 --> 01:47:55,840
what does a recovery look like and how my response to be different than and then clearly the new

1276
01:47:55,840 --> 01:48:01,700
the new normal so I think you're you're focused on the long term which is which is appropriate I think

1277
01:48:02,460 --> 01:48:07,360
considering these kind of other two periods as well and how our how our responses might be different

1278
01:48:07,360 --> 01:48:12,280
in those periods I think would also be helpful and then the last thing I guess is a question

1279
01:48:13,380 --> 01:48:17,320
Jessica you referenced you were going to meet with stakeholders can you give us some some idea

1280
01:48:17,320 --> 01:48:20,800
of who the stakeholders are that you will be seeking input from.

1281
01:48:21,160 --> 01:48:21,520
Thank you.

1282
01:48:23,220 --> 01:48:24,300
Yes, thank you, Director.

1283
01:48:24,460 --> 01:48:26,400
Both for that feedback and for the question.

1284
01:48:27,080 --> 01:48:32,460
Yes, so we have invited a sort of wide range of stakeholders

1285
01:48:32,460 --> 01:48:35,020
with whom we interact regularly.

1286
01:48:35,460 --> 01:48:38,120
So RTA planning specifically interacts regularly.

1287
01:48:38,680 --> 01:48:42,600
So we've invited many other transportation agencies

1288
01:48:42,600 --> 01:48:43,460
with whom we worked.

1289
01:48:43,660 --> 01:48:47,720
We've invited advocacy groups who interact with us

1290
01:48:47,720 --> 01:48:51,940
and theoretically send letters to you as a board and talk with us about our work.

1291
01:48:52,380 --> 01:48:56,160
We've invited the service boards to participate so they can hear as well.

1292
01:48:56,820 --> 01:48:59,760
And we're hoping we're catching some business representatives as well.

1293
01:48:59,800 --> 01:49:03,580
I should say some private sector entities because we're hoping that we get

1294
01:49:03,580 --> 01:49:07,640
a good variety of conversation and we hear from a variety of different sectors

1295
01:49:07,640 --> 01:49:15,520
and can get a pulse on what the regions needs are and what people think we need to talk about in terms of change.

1296
01:49:18,060 --> 01:49:25,340
Jessica, can I just jump in real quick just to add and correct me from wrong but my understanding is we've also invited

1297
01:49:26,660 --> 01:49:29,820
transportation and staff from the counties

1298
01:49:30,660 --> 01:49:35,760
and the planning liaison to represent the council of the man around the region. Is that correct?

1299
01:49:36,700 --> 01:49:43,000
Yes, yes, indeed. We've also included local and county government to be a part of the conversation as well. Thanks for that reminder.

1300
01:49:45,750 --> 01:49:47,690
Director Sagar has a question.

1301
01:49:48,150 --> 01:49:49,630
You can lower your hand and unmute.

1302
01:49:53,540 --> 01:49:54,120
Yes, thank you.

1303
01:49:54,220 --> 01:49:55,060
I appreciate it.

1304
01:49:55,320 --> 01:49:56,240
Can you hear me all right?

1305
01:50:00,830 --> 01:50:01,210
Yes.

1306
01:50:02,950 --> 01:50:09,670
Well, I'm incredibly pleased and really appreciate the comments that have been made to buy our

1307
01:50:09,670 --> 01:50:13,710
colleagues on the board, and I absolutely agree with many of the comments that have been

1308
01:50:13,710 --> 01:50:14,010
made.

1309
01:50:14,790 --> 01:50:21,870
You know, at this type of time, it's very, very common for businesses and services, I think,

1310
01:50:21,870 --> 01:50:25,070
to just say, well, we just have to hang in there.

1311
01:50:25,210 --> 01:50:27,850
We just have to hold on by our fingernails and our toenails

1312
01:50:27,850 --> 01:50:30,310
and hope to goodness that we're going to survive this.

1313
01:50:31,510 --> 01:50:33,450
Another approach that is great going to be taken

1314
01:50:33,450 --> 01:50:36,430
is to do what we all have referred to as retrenching.

1315
01:50:36,510 --> 01:50:38,250
We want to just go back and retrench,

1316
01:50:38,410 --> 01:50:40,810
which just basically means we want to defend

1317
01:50:40,810 --> 01:50:42,590
what we have always done in the past

1318
01:50:42,590 --> 01:50:46,590
and we want to make sure that we come out of this surviving,

1319
01:50:46,970 --> 01:50:48,750
but we come out of it surviving strong

1320
01:50:48,750 --> 01:50:51,410
and then we can kind of keep doing what we do.

1321
01:50:51,910 --> 01:50:54,810
I think the fact of the matter is that we at this time,

1322
01:50:54,810 --> 01:50:57,030
and business in general at this time,

1323
01:50:57,350 --> 01:51:00,410
really need to seek bold innovation.

1324
01:51:00,810 --> 01:51:02,930
And I'm going to emphasize that we're bold.

1325
01:51:03,150 --> 01:51:06,610
I think we have to be bold enough to redefine ourselves.

1326
01:51:06,910 --> 01:51:09,530
I think we have to be bold enough to redirect ourselves.

1327
01:51:09,810 --> 01:51:14,190
And I think we have to be bold enough to reinvent and reinvest.

1328
01:51:15,350 --> 01:51:20,610
You know, the big question really is, and the question that we have to ask ourselves,

1329
01:51:20,790 --> 01:51:25,030
frankly, is if we are prepared for dramatic change.

1330
01:51:25,610 --> 01:51:32,530
But I think that that's what we have the opportunity to do, and I appreciate the challenge

1331
01:51:32,530 --> 01:51:39,790
context, and I also appreciate the opportunity context, because to me, this is really an opportunity

1332
01:51:39,790 --> 01:51:47,530
for us to redefine ourselves as a transit system in Northeastern Illinois and to be able

1333
01:51:47,530 --> 01:51:54,010
to serve our community and our communities and our public in a way that we have never

1334
01:51:54,010 --> 01:51:56,390
truly attempted to address before.

1335
01:51:56,950 --> 01:52:02,590
Because it's typical, it's typical for us to kind of maintain the status quo or continue

1336
01:52:02,590 --> 01:52:06,730
to go in the directions and I'm not faulting our staffs, I think the staffs are just exceptionally

1337
01:52:06,730 --> 01:52:09,990
and done a beautiful job of trying to look to the future.

1338
01:52:10,450 --> 01:52:14,670
But I think that this calls for a very bold action.

1339
01:52:15,150 --> 01:52:18,410
I appreciated the commentary that was made with the three alternatives.

1340
01:52:19,650 --> 01:52:26,070
I think the fact is that we're going to have to accept the challenge which is to combine.

1341
01:52:26,510 --> 01:52:30,470
And we're going to have to look at combining a congested recovery, if you will,

1342
01:52:30,590 --> 01:52:35,390
which is a near term type of opportunity with that regional remix,

1343
01:52:35,390 --> 01:52:42,450
which is more of a long term. So the concern is always going to be how do we finance both

1344
01:52:42,450 --> 01:52:47,350
of those types of things? How do we marry that near-term approach which we're going to have

1345
01:52:47,350 --> 01:52:56,250
to be taking with that longer-term growth redevelopment innovation type of approach? But truly

1346
01:52:56,250 --> 01:53:02,310
in my mind the only way that we're going to be able to look back on this period in time and

1347
01:53:02,310 --> 01:53:08,430
say that we have successfully, not just simply maneuvered, but we have successfully

1348
01:53:08,430 --> 01:53:15,630
grasped the opportunity which is before us is to truly be innovative in our approaches.

1349
01:53:15,930 --> 01:53:21,510
And I say that very, very broadly and with the commitment as a director to support that

1350
01:53:21,510 --> 01:53:22,210
type of effort.

1351
01:53:22,590 --> 01:53:22,910
Thank you.

1352
01:53:25,690 --> 01:53:26,910
Thank you, Dr. Sanger.

1353
01:53:27,070 --> 01:53:27,930
Thanks for that encouragement.

1354
01:53:31,880 --> 01:53:32,080
Okay.

1355
01:53:32,200 --> 01:53:33,460
I see no more hands raised.

1356
01:53:37,600 --> 01:53:37,820
Okay.

1357
01:53:37,820 --> 01:53:44,560
There are other questions. Thank you again for your time and we look forward to sharing with you what we learn later in the fall. Thank you.

1358
01:53:45,140 --> 01:53:45,860
Thank you, Chairman.

1359
01:53:47,240 --> 01:53:52,140
Thanks, Jessica and the members of the board for their comments.

1360
01:53:53,340 --> 01:54:06,660
Item 7 is our next action item for today. We're going to move on and we're going to hear from the staff on these items and we'll both on each of these individually following the staff from arts and questions.

1361
01:54:06,660 --> 01:54:10,540
but item 7 are our action items for the day.

1362
01:54:11,060 --> 01:54:13,140
The first is 7A, which is the ordinance

1363
01:54:13,140 --> 01:54:17,520
amending the 2020 regional and service board budgets

1364
01:54:17,520 --> 01:54:20,400
and Bill, I believe this is yours.

1365
01:54:25,030 --> 01:54:25,570
Yes, it is.

1366
01:54:25,910 --> 01:54:27,110
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

1367
01:54:27,430 --> 01:54:27,670
Thank you.

1368
01:54:28,050 --> 01:54:30,410
Good morning, members of the board.

1369
01:54:31,230 --> 01:54:33,430
This morning we are asking you to consider

1370
01:54:33,430 --> 01:54:37,110
and ordinance amending the 2020 operating budget

1371
01:54:37,110 --> 01:54:40,530
of the service boards and the RTA agency.

1372
01:54:41,310 --> 01:54:43,430
Before I continue my presentation,

1373
01:54:43,830 --> 01:54:46,850
I would very much like to thank the RTA budget staff,

1374
01:54:47,470 --> 01:54:50,970
Doug Anderson, Nora Buia, and Sarah Rubino

1375
01:54:50,970 --> 01:54:53,510
for their diligent work on the revisions

1376
01:54:53,510 --> 01:54:56,550
to both the RTA 2020 regional budget

1377
01:54:56,550 --> 01:54:59,470
and the RTA 2020 agency budget.

1378
01:55:00,210 --> 01:55:01,970
They met very tight deadlines

1379
01:55:01,970 --> 01:55:04,930
amidst other pressing RTA priorities

1380
01:55:04,930 --> 01:55:09,300
and, of course, the pandemic.

1381
01:55:10,200 --> 01:55:11,120
Next slide, please.

1382
01:55:16,380 --> 01:55:18,600
Provide service board and RTA budgets

1383
01:55:18,600 --> 01:55:21,340
were required by the May funding amendment,

1384
01:55:21,660 --> 01:55:24,880
which decreased RTA regional funding

1385
01:55:24,880 --> 01:55:30,760
by an estimated $543 million due to the expected impact

1386
01:55:30,970 --> 01:55:34,340
of COVID-19 on sales tax collections.

1387
01:55:35,720 --> 01:55:38,320
The May ordinance also allocated

1388
01:55:38,320 --> 01:55:45,420
an authorized CARES Act funding to count towards recovery ratio requirements and the temporary

1389
01:55:45,420 --> 01:55:47,940
response to plummeting fair revenue.

1390
01:55:50,230 --> 01:55:53,610
The revised 2020 service board budgets who received

1391
01:55:53,610 --> 01:56:00,910
in early August from the service boards and vetted by RTA staff. While each service board

1392
01:56:00,910 --> 01:56:08,110
approached their revised budget a little differently, the proposed budgets are balanced and meet each of

1393
01:56:08,110 --> 01:56:10,850
the RTA Act criteria for adoption.

1394
01:56:12,810 --> 01:56:15,850
One thing we will reiterate during this presentation

1395
01:56:15,850 --> 01:56:18,910
is that three months have passed since the May funding

1396
01:56:18,910 --> 01:56:19,430
amendment.

1397
01:56:19,970 --> 01:56:23,530
Enough time for actual results to vary significantly

1398
01:56:23,970 --> 01:56:26,050
from our projections back then.

1399
01:56:27,250 --> 01:56:30,010
For example, actual sales tax receipts

1400
01:56:30,010 --> 01:56:34,050
from March, April, and May have been higher than expected.

1401
01:56:34,050 --> 01:56:40,310
They should lead to a better result than the proposed budgets would suggest, particularly

1402
01:56:40,310 --> 01:56:43,650
with respect to longevity of care that are funding.

1403
01:56:45,230 --> 01:56:46,070
Next slide, please.

1404
01:56:50,660 --> 01:56:58,600
The proposed budgets proceed system ridership of about 240 million rides per year, somewhat

1405
01:56:58,600 --> 01:57:03,700
worse than estimates of around 300 million that we made back in April.

1406
01:57:05,060 --> 01:57:11,400
CTAs did reflect a late adjustment to their fall ridership levels due to the Chicago Public

1407
01:57:11,400 --> 01:57:18,200
School's decision on remote learning, and the individual service boards anticipate ridership

1408
01:57:18,200 --> 01:57:28,820
declines of between 47 and 60 percent. Overall, regional ridership is expected to decline by more

1409
01:57:28,820 --> 01:57:33,900
than 50% resulting in corresponding losses to fair revenue.

1410
01:57:35,600 --> 01:57:36,580
Next slide, please.

1411
01:57:39,780 --> 01:57:44,220
The May funding amendment left the decision about 2020 service

1412
01:57:44,220 --> 01:57:47,840
and expense levels to the individual service boards.

1413
01:57:49,040 --> 01:57:55,260
As I mentioned earlier, each service board took a slightly different approach to budgeting.

1414
01:57:56,660 --> 01:58:04,000
While the CTA recognized year-to-date savings of $11.8 million through June, their full year

1415
01:58:04,000 --> 01:58:15,000
expenses have increased by $21.6 million or $1.4%. Metro recognized $32.2 million of year-to-date

1416
01:58:15,000 --> 01:58:22,040
savings through May and held their June through December expenses at the originally budgeted level.

1417
01:58:22,040 --> 01:58:32,320
For a total expense decrease of 3.9%, PACE chose to leave their original budgeted levels

1418
01:58:32,320 --> 01:58:38,100
in place for the full year, so total budgeted expenses are unchanged.

1419
01:58:40,250 --> 01:58:45,930
Both PACE and Metro continue to operate reduced service levels which should lead to favorable

1420
01:58:46,490 --> 01:58:49,650
results versus budget for the balance of the year.

1421
01:58:49,650 --> 01:58:53,830
CTA continues to operate a full schedule.

1422
01:58:56,080 --> 01:59:00,560
ADA power transit is one area where much has changed in three months.

1423
01:59:01,960 --> 01:59:09,260
The ADA expense budget under your consideration today is almost $42 million lower than the

1424
01:59:09,260 --> 01:59:10,260
original budget.

1425
01:59:11,000 --> 01:59:18,060
But as the addict mentioned earlier, the ADA funding requirement continues to revolve and

1426
01:59:18,060 --> 01:59:20,080
and I'll explain that on the next slide.

1427
01:59:21,340 --> 01:59:22,240
Next slide, please.

1428
01:59:26,330 --> 01:59:27,630
The May funding amendment

1429
01:59:27,630 --> 01:59:33,350
pulled ADA funding down by about 30% to $129 million.

1430
01:59:34,210 --> 01:59:36,290
This was essentially our best guess

1431
01:59:36,290 --> 01:59:38,430
based on the ridership drop-off,

1432
01:59:40,260 --> 01:59:44,000
but the impact of COVID-19 on ADA operations

1433
01:59:44,860 --> 01:59:46,320
was better understood.

1434
01:59:48,280 --> 01:59:52,780
Before the impact of COVID-19 on ADA operations,

1435
01:59:52,800 --> 01:59:53,900
was better understood.

1436
01:59:54,680 --> 01:59:59,900
Pay staff subsequently informed the RTA staff that the $129 million

1437
02:00:21,780 --> 02:00:29,980
In short, years of hard-earned productivity gains in 88 paratrans operations were essential

1438
02:00:29,980 --> 02:00:38,480
undone overnight by the COVID-19 pandemic. In Paces Revived ADA budget under

1439
02:00:38,480 --> 02:00:43,320
York Consideration Today, COVID-19 mitigation efforts were

1440
02:00:43,320 --> 02:00:49,540
anticipated through second quarter. Subject to the approval of the RTA for,

1441
02:00:49,760 --> 02:00:56,580
PACE has proposed the use of $18.4 million from the ADA Parachands Reserve in

1442
02:00:56,580 --> 02:01:02,140
In addition to the $129 million provided by the May Funding Amendment,

1443
02:01:04,740 --> 02:01:05,800
in the meantime,

1444
02:01:06,460 --> 02:01:12,540
Paces determine that the need to extend COVID-19 mitigation efforts will require an additional

1445
02:01:12,540 --> 02:01:22,240
$13 million of 2020 funding. For a total of $31.4 million more than the May Funding Amendment.

1446
02:01:23,300 --> 02:01:29,800
Staff recommends addressing that additional need next month with a second 2020 funding

1447
02:01:29,800 --> 02:01:32,180
amendment for ADA parent transit,

1448
02:01:34,680 --> 02:01:38,620
but for today the RT Board is being asked to approve

1449
02:01:38,620 --> 02:01:41,980
only the additional 18.4 million dollars.

1450
02:01:42,940 --> 02:01:49,960
Staff recommends sourcing all incremental ADA funding from reserve funds in order to maximize

1451
02:01:49,960 --> 02:01:55,980
the amount of current year-style tax flowing to the mainline service force, including

1452
02:01:55,980 --> 02:01:57,240
Pace the Bourbon Service.

1453
02:01:59,590 --> 02:02:00,430
Next slide, please.

1454
02:02:04,990 --> 02:02:06,530
Moving on to recovery ratios.

1455
02:02:07,670 --> 02:02:14,730
The include unit of almost $650 million of projected CARES Act funding in operating revenue

1456
02:02:14,730 --> 02:02:20,670
has restored each of the mainline service force proposed recovery ratios.

1457
02:02:20,670 --> 02:02:25,270
to meet or exceed the original 2020 requirements.

1458
02:02:27,380 --> 02:02:30,680
The proposed regional recovery ratio has actually risen

1459
02:02:30,680 --> 02:02:34,560
from the original budget to about 51%,

1460
02:02:34,560 --> 02:02:38,300
exceeding the statutory requirement of 50%.

1461
02:02:39,420 --> 02:02:43,840
Also, to achieve the required 10% recovery ratio

1462
02:02:43,840 --> 02:02:45,560
for ADA pirate transit,

1463
02:02:46,140 --> 02:02:48,080
in the absence of CARES Act funding,

1464
02:02:48,080 --> 02:02:58,300
ACES Incorporated a Security Expense Exclusion, reflecting the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on

1465
02:02:58,300 --> 02:02:58,760
productivity.

1466
02:03:01,520 --> 02:03:02,480
Next slide, please.

1467
02:03:05,600 --> 02:03:09,620
The May Funding Amendment also sharply reduced RTA's

1468
02:03:09,620 --> 02:03:20,340
sales tax allocation by $36 million. Action needed to be taken to keep the RTAB in balance with

1469
02:03:20,340 --> 02:03:24,940
the projected sales tax and available CARES Act funding.

1470
02:03:26,530 --> 02:03:29,920
3.5 million of savings have been identified

1471
02:03:29,920 --> 02:03:33,960
in the RTA agency budget of $35.1 million,

1472
02:03:34,840 --> 02:03:39,300
production of 10%, due to lower interest rates,

1473
02:03:39,720 --> 02:03:42,180
projections of short and long-term debt service

1474
02:03:42,180 --> 02:03:44,200
were reduced to provide the balance

1475
02:03:44,200 --> 02:03:48,780
of the $7.7 million of required reductions.

1476
02:03:50,340 --> 02:03:51,480
Next slide, please.

1477
02:03:54,640 --> 02:03:59,680
On this final slide, please note the statement directly below the title.

1478
02:04:00,640 --> 02:04:04,520
As I mentioned earlier, assumptions have changed in the last three months.

1479
02:04:05,060 --> 02:04:10,900
And the budgets in hand are based on the gloomy sales tax projections we made back in May.

1480
02:04:12,280 --> 02:04:17,580
Based on those projections, this slide summarizes the amount of CARES Act funding

1481
02:04:17,580 --> 02:04:21,080
anticipated to be consumed in 2020.

1482
02:04:21,080 --> 02:04:26,400
And in turn, the amount expected to be left over for 2021.

1483
02:04:30,050 --> 02:04:31,610
Adding the third and fourth

1484
02:04:31,610 --> 02:04:39,590
columns together suggests that over $1 billion of the total $1.4 billion of CARES Act funding

1485
02:04:39,590 --> 02:04:45,670
will be required for 2020. However, due to better than previously expected

1486
02:04:45,670 --> 02:04:52,910
self-tax and PTF results up to 200 million of additional public funding should reduce the

1487
02:04:52,910 --> 02:05:00,450
CARES Act burn rate for all of the region's transit agencies, including the RTA, as we move

1488
02:05:00,450 --> 02:05:07,110
through the remainder of the year. We plan to quantify the expected improvement next month,

1489
02:05:07,330 --> 02:05:15,650
so stay tuned. Accordingly, staff requests for adoption of the ordinance amending the 2020

1490
02:05:15,670 --> 02:05:19,730
operating budgets of the service boards and the RTA agency.

1491
02:05:21,110 --> 02:05:25,250
That concludes my presentation and we happy to address any questions.

1492
02:05:26,970 --> 02:05:27,370
Thank you.

1493
02:05:30,260 --> 02:05:33,700
Thanks, Bill. Any questions or comments from the board?

1494
02:05:35,280 --> 02:05:41,240
I see no hands. Sorry, Director Holt has a question. If you lower your hand and on mute.

1495
02:05:42,000 --> 02:05:42,700
Thank you.

1496
02:05:43,200 --> 02:05:51,640
So could you go back to the point you made about the exception that PACE made for the PACE

1497
02:05:51,640 --> 02:05:57,100
ADA is part of the, to make sure they had a balanced budget for this year and in light

1498
02:05:57,100 --> 02:06:01,540
of the increased costs, not sure I understood what that exception was?

1499
02:06:01,540 --> 02:06:12,680
So, the reason for the increase in the cost is because the productivity gains that

1500
02:06:12,680 --> 02:06:21,380
patients have made over the last decade in combining trips of two or more

1501
02:06:21,380 --> 02:06:27,500
individuals. I think Rocky explains earlier that they have had to go to single

1502
02:06:31,260 --> 02:06:38,200
Right, but you noted that they have made a specific exception to one of their cost lines

1503
02:06:38,640 --> 02:06:41,840
to bring down, to accommodate the increase in cost.

1504
02:06:42,000 --> 02:06:45,460
I understand that they have, and to go to simple rides during this particular period,

1505
02:06:45,560 --> 02:06:51,040
I'm interested in the mechanisms that you referred to, the budget change behind the scenes.

1506
02:06:51,040 --> 02:07:02,460
So, that is how the recovery ratio calculation is being calculated, that we're now including

1507
02:07:02,460 --> 02:07:11,440
an expanded exclusion, basically it's a security exclusion to secure the health of the

1508
02:07:11,440 --> 02:07:14,320
riders and drivers due to this loss of productivity.

1509
02:07:15,440 --> 02:07:16,760
Okay, thank you.

1510
02:07:21,900 --> 02:07:23,480
There are no other questions.

1511
02:07:27,740 --> 02:07:31,500
Can I have a motion and a second that we approve.

1512
02:07:31,760 --> 02:07:33,540
This ordinance is submitted, please.

1513
02:07:36,990 --> 02:07:40,790
Director and all feel moves and director hold seconds.

1514
02:07:44,440 --> 02:07:45,040
Thank you.

1515
02:07:45,580 --> 02:07:49,540
Audrey, I believe we need to take a roll call.

1516
02:07:49,760 --> 02:07:50,680
It's required here.

1517
02:07:51,280 --> 02:07:52,760
Do you take the roll call, madam secretary?

1518
02:07:52,760 --> 02:07:53,040
Director.

1519
02:07:53,750 --> 02:07:54,240
Certainly.

1520
02:07:55,280 --> 02:07:55,580
Director.

1521
02:07:55,820 --> 02:07:56,540
And all feel?

1522
02:07:57,040 --> 02:07:57,240
Aye.

1523
02:07:58,140 --> 02:07:59,120
Director.

1524
02:07:59,120 --> 02:07:59,660
Canty.

1525
02:08:00,500 --> 02:08:01,120
Aye.

1526
02:08:02,480 --> 02:08:03,460
Director.

1527
02:08:03,560 --> 02:08:03,860
Carrie.

1528
02:08:04,700 --> 02:08:04,940
Aye.

1529
02:08:07,180 --> 02:08:07,660
Director.

1530
02:08:07,800 --> 02:08:08,180
Colson.

1531
02:08:09,280 --> 02:08:10,200
Yes.

1532
02:08:12,440 --> 02:08:12,940
Director.

1533
02:08:13,100 --> 02:08:13,260
Craig.

1534
02:08:13,540 --> 02:08:14,360
Yes.

1535
02:08:16,610 --> 02:08:17,030
Director.

1536
02:08:17,170 --> 02:08:17,270
Craig.

1537
02:08:17,270 --> 02:08:17,550
Flentay.

1538
02:08:17,850 --> 02:08:18,330
Aye.

1539
02:08:20,330 --> 02:08:20,770
Director.

1540
02:08:21,010 --> 02:08:21,370
Gavin.

1541
02:08:21,910 --> 02:08:22,750
Yes.

1542
02:08:27,810 --> 02:08:28,790
Director.

1543
02:08:28,790 --> 02:08:41,210
Aye. Director Cotell. Aye. Director Lewis. Yes. Director Melvin. Yes. Director

1544
02:08:41,210 --> 02:08:55,410
Payne. Yes. Director Ross. Yes. Director Sagger. Yes. Chairman Dillard. Yes. 16

1545
02:08:57,190 --> 02:09:00,470
Thank you, and that will be so recorded.

1546
02:09:01,190 --> 02:09:03,930
Let's move on to 7B, which are resolutions

1547
02:09:03,930 --> 02:09:08,730
buying the financial results for the second quarter of 2020.

1548
02:09:08,990 --> 02:09:10,050
Be good morning.

1549
02:09:10,910 --> 02:09:13,330
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and members of the board.

1550
02:09:13,510 --> 02:09:16,570
This is Be Marina Hickey, Chief Financial Officer with the RTA.

1551
02:09:17,370 --> 02:09:22,970
Today I am presenting the year-to-day financial results for the second quarter of 2020,

1552
02:09:22,970 --> 02:09:25,170
20 which are subject to your certification.

1553
02:09:25,590 --> 02:09:28,230
Keep in mind that the results are now being compared

1554
02:09:28,230 --> 02:09:32,710
to the amended 2020 budget which recognizes the inclusion

1555
02:09:32,710 --> 02:09:36,270
of federal CARES Act funding as well as the amended

1556
02:09:36,930 --> 02:09:39,450
RTA funding levels established in May.

1557
02:09:39,970 --> 02:09:42,430
Because the service boards mostly incorporated

1558
02:09:42,430 --> 02:09:44,850
actual results for the first half of the year

1559
02:09:44,850 --> 02:09:48,170
into the revised budgets, many of the variances

1560
02:09:48,170 --> 02:09:51,550
from budget for year-to-date are zero or close to zero.

1561
02:09:51,550 --> 02:09:56,550
At the end of the presentation, I will be recommending that the Board certify that the

1562
02:09:56,550 --> 02:10:01,990
results of operations of each service board and the region as a whole are in substantial

1563
02:10:01,990 --> 02:10:04,990
accordance with the just adopted 2020 budget.

1564
02:10:05,810 --> 02:10:07,050
Next slide, please.

1565
02:10:10,290 --> 02:10:18,450
System ridership through June was 46.5 percent below prior year and 0.1 percent and

1566
02:10:23,670 --> 02:10:24,790
0.1 percent

1567
02:10:24,790 --> 02:10:26,550
an unfavorable to the amended budget,

1568
02:10:27,110 --> 02:10:28,870
as shown by the orange bars on the chart.

1569
02:10:29,390 --> 02:10:33,030
April, our first full month of COVID-related impact

1570
02:10:33,450 --> 02:10:35,250
reduced the lowest ridership result

1571
02:10:35,250 --> 02:10:38,050
down more than 80% from prior year.

1572
02:10:38,590 --> 02:10:41,450
On a positive note, ridership increased slightly in May

1573
02:10:41,790 --> 02:10:44,330
and June as the state and city progress

1574
02:10:44,330 --> 02:10:46,230
through their phase reopening plans.

1575
02:10:46,730 --> 02:10:48,550
We can also see from the data line

1576
02:10:48,550 --> 02:10:50,410
that the revised service board budgets

1577
02:10:50,410 --> 02:10:53,550
assume ridership recovering to only about 35

1578
02:10:53,550 --> 02:10:57,010
have to 40% of normal levels by the end of the year.

1579
02:10:57,930 --> 02:10:58,910
Next slide, please.

1580
02:11:00,950 --> 02:11:05,430
Looking at the total operating revenue of $538.5 million,

1581
02:11:05,930 --> 02:11:10,130
it was $4.5 million or 0.8% unfavorable

1582
02:11:10,700 --> 02:11:13,190
to the budget through the second quarter.

1583
02:11:13,790 --> 02:11:16,590
With the exception of Metro, each service board

1584
02:11:17,500 --> 02:11:20,630
reported operating revenue equal to their amended budgets.

1585
02:11:20,630 --> 02:11:27,650
Mention's revised budget contained actual results through May, so their June results is producing

1586
02:11:27,650 --> 02:11:31,230
the 2.4% unsavorable variance shown.

1587
02:11:31,850 --> 02:11:38,770
The service boards included in their operating budget 225 million of CARES-X funding requisition

1588
02:11:38,770 --> 02:11:43,490
for fair revenue losses through June as authorized by the May funding amendment.

1589
02:11:44,170 --> 02:11:44,910
Next, please.

1590
02:11:45,790 --> 02:11:48,270
Next, we have public funding results.

1591
02:11:48,270 --> 02:11:54,070
Continuing the trend we saw in April, May sales tax is projected to come in at about

1592
02:11:54,070 --> 02:12:00,390
24% below prior year, significantly better than the 50% drop we had initially estimated.

1593
02:12:00,990 --> 02:12:02,990
This is benefiting each of the service boards.

1594
02:12:03,690 --> 02:12:11,130
The real estate transfer tax or the rat also outperform the amended budget by 15.5% through

1595
02:12:11,130 --> 02:12:17,190
the second quarter, which contributed to CTA's positive budget variance of 7.1%.

1596
02:12:17,190 --> 02:12:26,670
88-paratransit was adjusted to the level contained in the May funding amendment beginning with June's payment to pay, resulting in the zero variance.

1597
02:12:27,330 --> 02:12:36,970
Total regional public funding through June is expected to surpass budget by 35.9 million or 4.8% highlighted in light blue.

1598
02:12:37,570 --> 02:12:38,310
Next slide, please.

1599
02:12:38,310 --> 02:12:46,290
So, now looking at operating expenses, system-wide operating expenses through June, or 24.1 million,

1600
02:12:46,570 --> 02:12:52,310
or 1.8% favorable to budget. The service boards have continued to manage their overall

1601
02:12:52,310 --> 02:12:59,210
expenditures well, despite increased costs related to the pandemic. Because PACE's revised

1602
02:12:59,210 --> 02:13:05,410
budget left expenses at original budgeted levels, their year-to-date results reflect a significant

1603
02:13:05,410 --> 02:13:12,430
in 13% favorable variance. Metro also reported favorable to budget results associated with

1604
02:13:12,430 --> 02:13:18,050
their June performance. Each service board benefited from favorable fuel prices resulting

1605
02:13:18,050 --> 02:13:24,330
in a combined savings of $4.3 million, amplified by ongoing reductions in service levels of

1606
02:13:24,330 --> 02:13:31,670
Metro and pace. Next slide, please. Better than expected sales tax and real estate transfer

1607
02:13:31,670 --> 02:13:38,650
tax receipts at CTA produced a positive net result variance of 28.6 million through June.

1608
02:13:39,350 --> 02:13:46,050
Cost savings and federal favorable public funding results more than offset an operating revenue

1609
02:13:46,050 --> 02:13:51,310
shortfall and metronpaste keeping their net results favorable to budget. The system net

1610
02:13:51,310 --> 02:13:58,330
result through the second quarter was 55.5 million favorable to budget as highlighted in light blue.

1611
02:13:58,330 --> 02:14:00,930
Now, let's look at the recovery ratios.

1612
02:14:01,190 --> 02:14:01,790
Next slide, please.

1613
02:14:02,770 --> 02:14:04,950
I am happy to report that due to the inclusion

1614
02:14:04,950 --> 02:14:07,590
of CARES Act funding, the regional recovery ratio

1615
02:14:07,590 --> 02:14:10,910
has improved to 48.9% through June.

1616
02:14:11,570 --> 02:14:14,170
Now 0.6 percentage points above budget.

1617
02:14:14,710 --> 02:14:16,790
As you can see on the left side of the table,

1618
02:14:17,290 --> 02:14:21,510
in the absence of the 225.8 million CARES Act funding,

1619
02:14:21,970 --> 02:14:23,890
the service boards have recognized

1620
02:14:23,890 --> 02:14:26,850
as fair revenue replacement on a year-to-day basis.

1621
02:14:26,850 --> 02:14:31,110
revenue recovery ratios would be around 30 percent or less.

1622
02:14:31,570 --> 02:14:37,590
With the CARES Act funding included, CTN Metro recovery ratios, which were flat to budget,

1623
02:14:37,810 --> 02:14:43,010
while pace of solid expense performance brought the recovery ratio into the light blue.

1624
02:14:43,530 --> 02:14:47,310
The ADA parent transit recovery ratio finished slightly below budget,

1625
02:14:47,750 --> 02:14:49,870
but is expected to improve in the coming months.

1626
02:14:50,930 --> 02:14:51,710
Next slide, please.

1627
02:14:53,050 --> 02:14:58,310
Looking at the operating deficit, focusing on the certification of year-to-day financial

1628
02:14:58,310 --> 02:14:59,830
results through the second quarter.

1629
02:15:00,020 --> 02:15:06,760
This slide displays the variances of each service board operating deficit from budget. Pace the

1630
02:15:06,760 --> 02:15:13,260
bourbon service had a favorable variance of 16.5 percent, while CTA and ADA transit were

1631
02:15:13,260 --> 02:15:20,460
at budget, and that was operating deficit finished 2 percent favorable. We combined regional

1632
02:15:20,460 --> 02:15:27,920
recovery, regional operating deficit was 19.6 million or 2.4 percent favorable to budget.

1633
02:15:28,620 --> 02:15:33,320
Accordingly, we recommend that the results of the operations of each service board and

1634
02:15:33,320 --> 02:15:37,760
the region taken as a whole be found in substantial courtes with the amended budget through

1635
02:15:37,760 --> 02:15:38,580
a second quarter.

1636
02:15:39,360 --> 02:15:45,540
I said earlier that 225 million of CARESAC funding for a fare of a new replacement had been

1637
02:15:45,540 --> 02:15:48,040
included in the service board's June results.

1638
02:15:48,400 --> 02:15:54,340
When you add an additional 85 million of CARESAC funding, requisition for public funding replacement

1639
02:15:54,340 --> 02:16:01,660
by the CTA Metro PACE and RTA, the region has requisitioned the total of 310 million of

1640
02:16:01,660 --> 02:16:06,760
CARES Act money or about 22 percent of the total 1.4 billion available.

1641
02:16:07,280 --> 02:16:12,880
So that funding is flowing and is also being reported by CTA Metro PACE to restore the

1642
02:16:12,880 --> 02:16:18,740
regional recovery ratio to 48.9 percent, an acceptable level for this time of the year.

1643
02:16:18,740 --> 02:16:20,680
That concludes my remarks.

1644
02:16:20,980 --> 02:16:22,860
I'll try to like us to answer any questions.

1645
02:16:23,340 --> 02:16:24,560
Back to you, Mr. Chairman.

1646
02:16:26,080 --> 02:16:26,840
Thank you.

1647
02:16:26,900 --> 02:16:27,660
Are there any questions?

1648
02:16:30,740 --> 02:16:33,120
I'm not seeing any hands raised at this time.

1649
02:16:35,780 --> 02:16:38,800
So can I entertain a motion in a second, please?

1650
02:16:43,340 --> 02:16:46,440
Director Cotell moves and director paying seconds.

1651
02:16:49,380 --> 02:16:49,580
Great.

1652
02:16:49,760 --> 02:16:50,100
Thank you.

1653
02:16:50,280 --> 02:16:51,940
Madam Secretary, take the role.

1654
02:16:52,120 --> 02:16:52,500
And please.

1655
02:16:53,680 --> 02:16:54,960
Director and I'll feel.

1656
02:16:55,580 --> 02:16:55,860
Aye.

1657
02:16:57,170 --> 02:17:00,270
Director Canty, aye.

1658
02:17:03,210 --> 02:17:09,690
Director Carey, aye. Director Colson, aye.

1659
02:17:13,010 --> 02:17:13,690
Director

1660
02:17:13,690 --> 02:17:23,110
Fraga, aye. Director Fuentes, aye. Director Gabbing, yeah.

1661
02:17:30,810 --> 02:17:32,170
Director

1662
02:17:32,170 --> 02:17:33,450
Director Lewis.

1663
02:17:35,930 --> 02:17:44,350
Director Melvin. Yes. Director Payne. Yes. Director Ross. Yes.

1664
02:17:44,810 --> 02:17:52,570
Director Sagar. Yes. Chairman Dillard. Yes. Sixteen eyes.

1665
02:17:55,080 --> 02:17:56,940
Thank you and that will be so

1666
02:17:56,940 --> 02:18:03,820
reported and it is approved. Seven C is the ordinance authorizing the amendment to the

1667
02:18:03,820 --> 02:18:09,300
in 2024 program, and amending our ICE funded projects.

1668
02:18:09,980 --> 02:18:11,960
Jill Liri, I think this one is yours.

1669
02:18:12,920 --> 02:18:15,720
It is. Good morning again and thank you, Chairman Dullard.

1670
02:18:16,160 --> 02:18:18,080
I'm requesting approval of two ordinances.

1671
02:18:18,900 --> 02:18:21,700
First, we are requesting your authorization for an amendment

1672
02:18:21,700 --> 02:18:25,640
to the 2020-2024 capital programming program,

1673
02:18:26,060 --> 02:18:28,780
incorporating changes in program revenues and expenses

1674
02:18:28,780 --> 02:18:30,440
for CTA metro and pace.

1675
02:18:30,440 --> 02:18:37,280
Second is the time extension for CTA Metra in Paces, Innovation, Coordination and Enhancement

1676
02:18:37,280 --> 02:18:38,660
or ICE funded projects.

1677
02:18:39,400 --> 02:18:42,180
Let me walk you through the changes we are recommending in this ordinance.

1678
02:18:43,020 --> 02:18:48,320
This quarter we are asking you to approve a net funding increase to the 5-year capital program

1679
02:18:48,320 --> 02:18:52,400
of $16.4 million that affects both current and out years.

1680
02:18:53,320 --> 02:18:59,020
The total net increase is $8.63 million for CTA, $7.8 million for Metra,

1681
02:18:59,020 --> 02:19:01,020
and net zero for pace.

1682
02:19:01,900 --> 02:19:08,260
The CTA 8.63 million increase consists of a shift of funds for debt repayment that

1683
02:19:08,260 --> 02:19:14,720
will result in a decrease of almost $36 million, an increase of just less than $100,000

1684
02:19:14,720 --> 02:19:20,980
in federal discretionary funds, and a decrease of $20 million in CTA bond issuances.

1685
02:19:20,980 --> 02:19:29,700
For Metro, the $7.8 million increase consists of a 12 and a half million increase in federal

1686
02:19:29,700 --> 02:19:35,280
discretionary funds, a little over 100,000 increase in reprogrammed or carryover funds,

1687
02:19:35,920 --> 02:19:40,920
and just under five and just under a $5 million decrease in service board funds.

1688
02:19:41,840 --> 02:19:47,420
Paces adjusting its 2020 program funding allocation to accommodate a few projects, including

1689
02:19:47,420 --> 02:19:52,040
including a couple of COVID-related initiatives for vehicles and facilities.

1690
02:19:53,160 --> 02:19:57,460
The project and budget changes in the capital program are included in the memo of your board

1691
02:19:57,460 --> 02:20:01,200
materials and in schedules 2A and 2B attached to the ordinance.

1692
02:20:02,120 --> 02:20:06,540
The second ordinance for which we are requesting your approval is the 12-month extension for

1693
02:20:06,540 --> 02:20:07,200
ICE projects.

1694
02:20:07,760 --> 02:20:13,120
There is one CTA, five Metro and three PACE projects requiring extensions as outlined in

1695
02:20:13,120 --> 02:20:14,200
your board memo.

1696
02:20:14,960 --> 02:20:19,220
RTA staff has reviewed these requests and found them to be justified as outlined in the

1697
02:20:19,220 --> 02:20:23,540
ordinance request memo. I'm happy to answer any questions, otherwise we are seeking

1698
02:20:23,540 --> 02:20:26,360
your approval of these two ordinances. Thank you.

1699
02:20:28,450 --> 02:20:32,730
Thank you, Jill. Any questions from the board on these two ordinances?

1700
02:20:34,730 --> 02:20:36,990
I am not seeing any hands with questions.

1701
02:20:38,150 --> 02:20:40,630
If not, how about a motion in a second?

1702
02:20:45,580 --> 02:20:46,740
Director Kerry moves.

1703
02:20:47,960 --> 02:20:50,120
and director Rolvin seconds.

1704
02:20:52,250 --> 02:20:54,510
Great thank you. Madame Secretary please take

1705
02:20:54,510 --> 02:21:00,410
the role on 7C but two ordinances please. Certainly director and Alcio.

1706
02:21:01,130 --> 02:21:01,230
Yes.

1707
02:21:05,100 --> 02:21:13,480
Director Canty. Aye. Director Kerry. Aye. Director Colson.

1708
02:21:15,850 --> 02:21:16,130
Yes.

1709
02:21:23,350 --> 02:21:24,190
Director

1710
02:21:24,190 --> 02:21:33,130
you're getting? Yeah. Director Groven? Yes. Director Holt? Yes.

1711
02:21:37,830 --> 02:21:40,840
Director Holt? Yes.

1712
02:21:42,010 --> 02:21:45,900
Director Kotel? Aye. Director Lewis?

1713
02:21:48,640 --> 02:21:49,980
Dr. Melvin?

1714
02:21:50,700 --> 02:21:51,420
Yes.

1715
02:21:52,340 --> 02:21:53,140
Dr. Peng?

1716
02:21:54,260 --> 02:21:54,600
Yes.

1717
02:21:55,580 --> 02:21:56,380
Dr. Ross?

1718
02:21:57,260 --> 02:21:57,980
Yes.

1719
02:21:58,600 --> 02:21:59,460
Dr. Sager?

1720
02:22:00,520 --> 02:22:01,240
Yes.

1721
02:22:02,060 --> 02:22:02,960
Chairman Dillard?

1722
02:22:06,660 --> 02:22:07,460
Sixty-Nies?

1723
02:22:09,080 --> 02:22:10,020
Thank you.

1724
02:22:10,980 --> 02:22:12,480
That will be so approved.

1725
02:22:12,640 --> 02:22:18,860
Let's go on to 7D, the ordinance approving the FTA's federally mandated Title VI plan for the period of time.

1726
02:22:18,860 --> 02:22:25,240
2020-20-20-23. Our General Council Navy will brief us. Navy in the home.

1727
02:22:26,680 --> 02:22:31,460
Good morning again directors. The ordinance before you today approves an

1728
02:22:31,460 --> 02:22:38,040
AdospiRTA Title 6 plan for the period from 2020 to 2023. This is a compliance

1729
02:22:38,040 --> 02:22:43,080
matter. As a Director Scipian of Federal Fund, the RTA is required by the STA to

1730
02:22:43,080 --> 02:22:47,060
file a plan demonstrating our compliance with Title 6 of the Civil Rights Act of

1731
02:22:47,060 --> 02:22:52,560
of 1964. The FTA requires that our governing body approve the plan prior to submission

1732
02:22:52,560 --> 02:22:58,200
for its review. Our existing plan expires on November 30, 2020 and is due to the FTA

1733
02:22:58,200 --> 02:23:02,440
at the end of September. So now that we've got the logistics out of the way, let's talk

1734
02:23:02,440 --> 02:23:07,940
a little bit about Title VI itself and its significance. Title VI is a little known provision

1735
02:23:07,940 --> 02:23:14,320
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Relative to the more well-known provisions such as Title VII,

1736
02:23:14,320 --> 02:23:19,960
It isn't utilized much by those that's meant to protect, but to quote, title 6 provides

1737
02:23:19,960 --> 02:23:25,440
no person in the United States shall on the ground of race, color, or national origin

1738
02:23:25,440 --> 02:23:31,600
be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination

1739
02:23:32,120 --> 02:23:35,720
under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.

1740
02:23:37,020 --> 02:23:38,100
And that's basically it.

1741
02:23:38,360 --> 02:23:43,320
It's only 40 words to say a lot, but the federal government has decided that any program funded

1742
02:23:43,320 --> 02:23:48,260
by the public's tax dollars, should be accessible to people regardless of color, national origin

1743
02:23:48,260 --> 02:23:48,700
or race.

1744
02:23:49,620 --> 02:23:53,740
In addition to accessibility to our programs, title sticks requires that our work not

1745
02:23:53,740 --> 02:23:58,340
pulls a disproportionate burden upon certain populations or discriminate against them.

1746
02:23:59,160 --> 02:24:04,080
So we're all fairly familiar with race, but it can sometimes be confusing to determine

1747
02:24:04,080 --> 02:24:07,660
what discrimination on the basis of national origin or color might be.

1748
02:24:08,520 --> 02:24:14,260
So discrimination based on national origin is usually based in language and accessibility

1749
02:24:14,260 --> 02:24:15,940
to information or services.

1750
02:24:17,000 --> 02:24:20,940
This is the basis for the requirements that all federal aid recipients have a limited

1751
02:24:20,940 --> 02:24:24,320
English proficiency plan or LEP plan.

1752
02:24:25,440 --> 02:24:30,480
Compliance with the law is really about the various ways and the degree of which we, the

1753
02:24:30,480 --> 02:24:32,140
RTA, interact with the public.

1754
02:24:32,900 --> 02:24:37,180
Relative to the service boards and not surprisingly, the RTA has very little direct

1755
02:24:37,180 --> 02:24:42,620
contact with the public. As laid out in the plan, that's been submitted for your consideration.

1756
02:24:42,940 --> 02:24:47,660
Our mobility services department, which administers the travel information call center,

1757
02:24:48,020 --> 02:24:53,580
88 pair transit certification, ride free and reduced fare programs, provides the lion's

1758
02:24:53,580 --> 02:24:57,920
share of services experienced directly by the public through the RTA.

1759
02:24:59,000 --> 02:25:03,820
The plan lays out the many ways that we make sure information is available to anyone who needs or

1760
02:25:03,820 --> 02:25:08,460
wants it and how we ensure full engagement of people's color, low income populations,

1761
02:25:08,780 --> 02:25:11,080
and those would limited English proficiency.

1762
02:25:12,040 --> 02:25:17,200
In it, we discuss how our constituents can obtain translation services, our requirements

1763
02:25:17,200 --> 02:25:23,040
and sub-recipients, the type of information on our website, the issues we bring to public hearings

1764
02:25:23,040 --> 02:25:24,700
and the diversity of our board.

1765
02:25:25,620 --> 02:25:31,180
Our plan includes all eight of the elements required by the FTA Circular that sets out the requirements

1766
02:25:31,180 --> 02:25:32,420
for Title VI compliance.

1767
02:25:33,300 --> 02:25:38,420
Thankfully, we've had no complaints filed against the RTA based on Title VI since the plan

1768
02:25:38,420 --> 02:25:42,620
was last submitted or for that matter since I joined the RTA eight years ago.

1769
02:25:43,520 --> 02:25:46,960
And with that, I ask the board to adopt the proposed plan.

1770
02:25:46,960 --> 02:25:51,020
I'm happy to take any questions or suggestions you might have with regard to the plan.

1771
02:25:51,320 --> 02:25:51,680
Thank you.

1772
02:25:54,400 --> 02:25:54,540
Great.

1773
02:25:54,740 --> 02:25:55,120
Thank you.

1774
02:25:55,340 --> 02:26:04,100
Maybe you and Allison do a great job of ensuring that the programs and required federal

1775
02:26:04,100 --> 02:26:12,540
law are complied by the RTA, but the service board is very well, so thank you. Any questions

1776
02:26:12,540 --> 02:26:13,580
or comments?

1777
02:26:16,270 --> 02:26:24,510
I see no hand raised. Great, thank you. If you've seen from recent activity

1778
02:26:24,510 --> 02:26:32,270
in American life, this becomes more and more important than ever. So with that, a roll

1779
02:26:32,270 --> 02:26:38,090
call is required. I have a motion in a second and this is pretty cool of this ordinance.

1780
02:26:39,230 --> 02:26:43,590
Director Canty moves and Director Fuente seconds.

1781
02:26:48,690 --> 02:26:53,070
I'm meant to take the role please. Director and I'll feel.

1782
02:26:53,830 --> 02:26:53,990
Aye.

1783
02:27:00,000 --> 02:27:01,200
Director and I'll feel.

1784
02:27:04,890 --> 02:27:05,630
Director Canty.

1785
02:27:06,610 --> 02:27:10,910
Aye. Director Kerry. Director Colson.

1786
02:27:13,630 --> 02:27:14,970
Dr. Fraga,

1787
02:27:18,120 --> 02:27:19,620
Dr. Funties.

1788
02:27:20,160 --> 02:27:20,480
All right.

1789
02:27:21,280 --> 02:27:22,600
Dr. Gabbings.

1790
02:27:23,620 --> 02:27:23,780
Yeah.

1791
02:27:25,040 --> 02:27:25,860
Dr. Groven.

1792
02:27:26,640 --> 02:27:27,380
Yes.

1793
02:27:28,280 --> 02:27:29,180
Dr. Holt.

1794
02:27:30,680 --> 02:27:31,280
Yes.

1795
02:27:31,940 --> 02:27:33,120
Dr. Coltell.

1796
02:27:33,740 --> 02:27:34,260
All right.

1797
02:27:34,900 --> 02:27:35,620
Dr. Louis.

1798
02:27:36,300 --> 02:27:37,100
Yes.

1799
02:27:37,660 --> 02:27:38,420
Dr. Melvin.

1800
02:27:39,620 --> 02:27:40,020
Yes.

1801
02:27:40,640 --> 02:27:41,460
Dr. Payne.

1802
02:27:42,300 --> 02:27:55,320
Yes. Director Ross. Yes. Director Sagar. Yes. Chairman Dillers. Hi. 16Is. Director

1803
02:27:55,320 --> 02:27:56,980
Canter, you can lower your hand. Thank you.

1804
02:28:02,540 --> 02:28:06,960
Madam Secretary and all. 7E is our

1805
02:28:06,960 --> 02:28:11,340
next item and that is the ordinance authorizing contracts for state consulting

1806
02:28:11,340 --> 02:28:16,860
services, our governmental affairs director, Jeremy LeMarch, it's all yours.

1807
02:28:18,060 --> 02:28:18,620
Thank you.

1808
02:28:18,940 --> 02:28:19,400
Thanks.

1809
02:28:19,440 --> 02:28:21,180
Good morning, Mr. Chairman and directors.

1810
02:28:21,640 --> 02:28:24,560
This is an ordinance to approve our annual state legislative consulting

1811
02:28:24,560 --> 02:28:25,180
contracts.

1812
02:28:25,760 --> 02:28:30,220
These firms will provide the RTA with additional resources and expertise as we

1813
02:28:30,220 --> 02:28:32,480
continue to navigate the state's legislative process.

1814
02:28:33,620 --> 02:28:36,300
For new board members, these are contracts we've continuously sought

1815
02:28:36,300 --> 02:28:38,760
board approval for on an ongoing annual basis.

1816
02:28:40,020 --> 02:28:43,560
We've partnered with all these consulting firms in the past and the majority of the firms

1817
02:28:43,560 --> 02:28:46,500
have been under contract with the RTA for over nine years.

1818
02:28:46,840 --> 02:28:51,020
So they're very familiar with all of our legislative and regulatory issues that we face on

1819
02:28:51,020 --> 02:28:51,720
a daily basis.

1820
02:28:52,660 --> 02:28:56,700
Due to the current fiscal constraints, this ordinance does propose to scale back the total

1821
02:28:56,700 --> 02:29:01,080
expenditure on these contracts over the previous year, so there is cost savings involved.

1822
02:29:02,060 --> 02:29:04,500
That concludes my remarks and happy to answer your questions.

1823
02:29:05,020 --> 02:29:05,120
Thanks.

1824
02:29:06,260 --> 02:29:06,420
Great.

1825
02:29:06,700 --> 02:29:07,000
Thank you.

1826
02:29:07,000 --> 02:29:12,760
I mean, Jeremy and I were, and we're probably hoping that we can scale these even back more

1827
02:29:12,760 --> 02:29:19,560
of what worked as you can see from our budget reports earlier, our three of our work continued

1828
02:29:20,220 --> 02:29:24,480
to cut out for us and with the capital plan, which is a good dose from the state.

1829
02:29:25,080 --> 02:29:31,280
We've consulting services are continuing to be needed, but this is scaled back, which will make

1830
02:29:31,280 --> 02:29:36,960
Director Colson, happy. I thank you. Any questions or comments on those?

1831
02:29:37,800 --> 02:29:39,340
Yes, Ms. Chairman, I'm always happy.

1832
02:29:40,340 --> 02:29:46,000
I know you're welcome. Bill, thank you very much. Can I have a motion and a second?

1833
02:29:46,280 --> 02:29:47,560
I see no other questions.

1834
02:29:48,580 --> 02:29:53,360
Great. Thanks, Audrey. I need a motion and a second.

1835
02:29:54,990 --> 02:29:59,650
A motion by Director and I'll see you all in a second by Director Colson.

1836
02:30:01,390 --> 02:30:08,570
Can you take the roll call, please, Audrey? Certainly, director and all-seal. Yes. Director

1837
02:30:08,570 --> 02:30:18,430
Kante. Yes. Director Kerry. Director Colson. Yes. Director Fraga.

1838
02:30:21,820 --> 02:30:22,320
Director Fuentes.

1839
02:30:24,260 --> 02:30:25,620
Dr. Gavin,

1840
02:30:27,770 --> 02:30:31,570
Dr. Golden, Dr. Holt,

1841
02:30:33,630 --> 02:30:45,890
Dr. Cotel, Dr. Lewis, Dr. Melvin, Dr. Paine, Dr.

1842
02:30:46,150 --> 02:30:53,970
Ross, Dr. Sider, Chairman Dillard, Dr.

1843
02:30:53,970 --> 02:30:54,370
Yes.

1844
02:30:56,370 --> 02:30:57,250
Thank

1845
02:31:00,190 --> 02:31:01,070
you.

1846
02:31:01,150 --> 02:31:03,030
And that will be so reported.

1847
02:31:03,870 --> 02:31:12,590
The next item of business is 7F, which are expense reimbursement is required by law and our rules.

1848
02:31:13,870 --> 02:31:17,310
Any questions or comments on that?

1849
02:31:17,870 --> 02:31:19,470
It's been submitted in your packet.

1850
02:31:22,300 --> 02:31:23,260
I see no questions.

1851
02:31:23,260 --> 02:31:30,500
Seeing no questions can have a motion or a second to approve the expense of reimbursement

1852
02:31:30,500 --> 02:31:31,920
is submitted in the packet.

1853
02:31:32,800 --> 02:31:34,340
Director Kostal moves.

1854
02:31:35,420 --> 02:31:37,000
Director Frega seconds.

1855
02:31:39,400 --> 02:31:42,520
Will you take the role on that, Madam Secretary?

1856
02:31:43,760 --> 02:31:45,000
Director and I'll feel.

1857
02:31:45,640 --> 02:31:45,800
Yes.

1858
02:31:47,000 --> 02:31:48,540
Director Canty.

1859
02:31:49,280 --> 02:31:50,100
Yes.

1860
02:31:51,780 --> 02:31:53,420
Director Carey.

1861
02:31:54,000 --> 02:31:54,160
Aye.

1862
02:31:54,160 --> 02:31:56,680
Director Colson. Yes.

1863
02:31:59,470 --> 02:32:06,610
Director Frega. Yes. Director Flentays. Aye. Director

1864
02:32:06,610 --> 02:32:16,130
Gavin. Yeah. Director Groven. Yes. Director Holt. Yes. Director Cotell. Aye.

1865
02:32:16,690 --> 02:32:25,370
Director Lewis. Yes. Director Melvin. Yes. Director Pang. Yes. Director Ross.

1866
02:32:25,370 --> 02:32:28,430
Yes. Director Sagar.

1867
02:32:32,300 --> 02:32:38,800
Director Sagar. Yes. Chairman Dillard. Yes.

1868
02:32:39,480 --> 02:32:40,240
16 eyes.

1869
02:32:43,030 --> 02:32:50,150
Thank you and 7F is approved. Item 8 is new business and any issue raised under this

1870
02:32:50,150 --> 02:32:55,550
item would be for discussion only. Is there any new business to come before the board today?

1871
02:32:58,740 --> 02:33:00,620
Director Fuente's has his hand up.

1872
02:33:01,160 --> 02:33:02,340
Do you want to lower it on me?

1873
02:33:03,140 --> 02:33:03,600
Okay.

1874
02:33:04,240 --> 02:33:09,940
I just like to don't buy the board that even though we have issues with the ADA transportation.

1875
02:33:10,920 --> 02:33:15,160
We have the coordinating committee meeting on August 5th.

1876
02:33:15,160 --> 02:33:22,100
And I can assure you that all the service boards are still committed in improving access for our ADA clients,

1877
02:33:22,200 --> 02:33:24,720
especially using mainline services.

1878
02:33:25,500 --> 02:33:32,640
So even though the budget doesn't look well, I think the process of improving mainline

1879
02:33:32,640 --> 02:33:38,500
services is one of the keys to ensure that our ADA clients get the best service possible.

1880
02:33:38,600 --> 02:33:41,860
So I just want to let you know that the service boards did an outstanding job.

1881
02:33:42,320 --> 02:33:42,580
Thank you.

1882
02:33:44,020 --> 02:33:45,020
Thank you, Phil.

1883
02:33:45,360 --> 02:33:49,540
And, you know, ADA and that service is so critical.

1884
02:33:49,540 --> 02:33:55,760
And it's one of the things we just approved, the contracts for our consultants, which you're

1885
02:33:55,760 --> 02:34:03,920
me and myself, B and Lian, are constantly reminding the legislature that they need to keep

1886
02:34:03,920 --> 02:34:10,500
intact and hopefully increase, but at least keep in track and act, and that's how many

1887
02:34:10,500 --> 02:34:16,860
further are ADA paratransit services, and I'm not sure the legislature is always aware

1888
02:34:16,860 --> 02:34:24,600
year that they have eight parts in this. So we try to remind them, but Bill, I really

1889
02:34:24,600 --> 02:34:26,140
appreciate you area.

1890
02:34:28,940 --> 02:34:30,500
Thanks for that update.

1891
02:34:32,710 --> 02:34:37,910
Any other new business? If not, as a reminder,

1892
02:34:38,150 --> 02:34:43,790
the next scheduled meeting take for the RTA board is Thursday, September 10th. Thursday,

1893
02:34:43,790 --> 02:34:50,390
September 10th. It's hard to believe it'll be after Labor Day, beginning at 9 a.m. This

1894
02:34:50,390 --> 02:34:55,910
This is earlier than our normally scheduled third Thursday due to a statutory requirement.

1895
02:34:56,590 --> 02:35:00,170
The past budget marks by September 15th.

1896
02:35:00,290 --> 02:35:07,150
So it's up a lot of week in our schedules and importantly, we'll advise you of the

1897
02:35:07,150 --> 02:35:15,250
virtual nature or location of this meeting as we get closer and the status of COVID-19 is updated,

1898
02:35:15,250 --> 02:35:21,470
especially in coordination as we do all the time with Governor Pritzker's office.

1899
02:35:22,190 --> 02:35:28,670
Until then, I hope everybody stays safe and healthy. Thanks to the staff and our IT staff

1900
02:35:28,670 --> 02:35:35,350
and Audrey and Nadine for putting this together virtually. I know it's a stressful task,

1901
02:35:35,710 --> 02:35:41,410
and we deeply appreciate it. And with that, if there's no further business to come before the

1902
02:35:41,410 --> 02:35:46,910
public session of the Board of Directors. I entertain a motion and a second to adjourn.

1903
02:35:48,670 --> 02:35:53,530
Director Payne. Director Payne moves and director Saugher seconds.

1904
02:35:54,810 --> 02:36:01,610
Thank you. All those in favor say aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye. Aye.

1905
02:36:01,850 --> 02:36:10,070
Any opposed? If not, thank you. Super. Thank you. If not, we stand adjourned again. Thank

1906
02:36:10,070 --> 02:36:12,850
Thank you for your perfect attendance with shows.

1907
02:36:13,010 --> 02:36:14,690
We deeply deeply appreciate it.

1908
02:36:14,950 --> 02:36:15,590
Thanks everybody.