TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Strategic Plan Update
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving the Strategic Plan update.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
The Board approved Strategic Plan is important as it establishes policy direction for staff to develop strategic goals, initiatives, objectives, and metrics.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no specific fiscal impact associated with this briefing item.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The Strategic Plan is a policy document approved by the Board of Directors in April 2019 and amended in May 2022. The amended plan describes the District’s “Revive & Thrive” future scenario that focuses on a business environment with a customer experience lens that allows the District to navigate with the changing conditions. The “Revive & Thrive” scenario brings to the forefront finance, service quality/customer experience, shared mobility/innovation, public and political support, and health and safety as a focus to guide the district towards reaching success with achieving its goals.
This staff report provides an update to the Board on the plan’s performance that guides actions toward the current mission of the District: “We deliver safe, reliable, sustainable and accessible transit service that responds to the needs of our customers and communities.” Staff continues to collaborate and partner with the District’s labor Unions, industry associations, and other agencies to prioritize core business functions within the region that are aligned with the following strategic goals:
§ Safe and Secure Operations
§ Convenient and Reliable Service
§ Financial Stability and Resiliency
§ High-Performance Workforce
§ Strong Public and Policymaker Support
§ Environmentally Friendly Improvements
§ Prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
The Strategic Plan Dashboard (Attachment 1) illustrates a summary of progress made on each strategic goal and includes a metrics timeline and on-going activities during the March 2023 through August 2023 reporting period. The dashboard is a rollup based on the Strategic Metric Progress Report (Attachment 2) that provides activity information on each of the metrics and the status code labeled as “complete”, “in process”, or “upcoming”. Summarized on the report, there a total of 72 metrics, 71% are in process, and 19% have been completed. Provided below are current activities in process with each goal followed by a list of completed items.
In Process Highlights
Goal: Safe and Secure Operations
The District is committed to plan and deliver bus service in ways that promote the health and safety of our customers, our employees, contractors, and the general public. The District’s Public Transportation Agency Safety Plan includes the processes and procedures necessary for implementing Safety Management Systems (SMS) and processes for safety risk management, safety assurance, policy, and safety promotion.
Goal: Convenient and Reliable Service
Staff is beginning a 100 bus no cost pilot project for implementing augmented reality (AI) bus lane/bus stop enforcement technology. A consultant contract is being finalized, and project planning activities are underway. The AC Transit Realign project is in the process of receiving service proposal drafts by the Fall. In addition, the annual Transit Asset Management (TAM) Performance report is in process and will be finalized by the TAM Advisory Committee in the coming months.
Goal: Financial Stability & Resiliency
Invoice approval to pay process has been digitized and staff is working department by department to continue to convert paper records to electronic format.
Goal: High Performing Workforce
Staff, along with the consultant, has identified the drug and alcohol (D&A) screening process and limited new bus operator (NBO) class size as potential bottlenecks in the hiring process and continues to work on solutions. Staff has implemented a tracking process to monitor NBO success and retention as well as soliciting feedback for continuous improvement for the pre-orientation week. Staff plans to conduct another hiring event in the fall of 2023.
Goal: Strong Public and Policy Maker Support
Staff completed and shared annual legislative reports to Congress in federal office in DC in March 2023 and California Legislature in Sacramento in May 2023. Additionally, Staff has conducted a round of briefings on the district’s CA, Federal and State Delegation. Staff presented voter support polling results to the Board at the August Board Retreat.
Goal: Environmental Improvement
Staff has begun the Draft Climate Action and Sustainability plan (CASP) which will include sustainability benchmarks and targets being developed from review of data dating back to 2019. Six new dual port electric vehicle chargers have been installed at D4 increasing the District’s total electric vehicle (EV) chargers to 8, with two existing being at D2. Completion of 150 diesel bus replacement with CARB compliant diesels has been delayed due to impacts of the pandemic on procurement, production, and delivery. The district applied for and was awarded an FTA Low or No Emissions grant to modernize the Training and Education Center, develop innovative zero-emissions bus workforce training curriculum and purchase more ZEBs. AC Transit is a partner in the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Systems (ARCHES) which received as US DOE H2Hubs award for California which will provide funding for the District’s ZEB Transition Plan.
Goal: Prioritize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility
Staff has completed focus groups and interviews that will be used for the assessment report that is in process and is planned to be presented to the Board by late 2023. Staff is also working on an implementation strategy based on the assessment that is targeted for completion by the end of the year.
Completed Highlights
§ Conducted Safety and Security Program Assessment to drive 3-year strategic plan
§ Developed Safety Management Systems Implementation Plan Framework
§ Hired new security contract incorporating AC Transit On-boarding program
§ Introducing Risk Ranking Index Safety tool to drive operational decisions
§ Staff conducted a successful spring hiring event yielding over 100 contingent offers for new bus operators
§ Five Ward Town Halls were conducted as District Breakfast Briefing meetings with Board members, Elected officials and key stakeholders in each Ward
Additional Progress Highlights since August Report Period
§ 2023 APTA Outstanding Transit Agency of the Year Award Recipient
§ APTA Ad-wheel Award Recipient
§ Hired Director of Safety, Security and Training
§ Hired Program Manager for Drug and Alcohol Testing
§ Hired Market Research Program Manager
§ Initiated Service Reliability Task Force
§ Initiated Transit 2050+, Regional Transit Priority, and Reginal Service Coordination efforts
§ Completed Rapids Corridor Project
§ Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems Award (ARCHES)
§ ZEB University Project Award
§ Opened operator breakroom at Fremont BART station
§ Foothill Blvd Planning Study grant
§ Initiated efforts to develop Transit Supportive Design Guidelines
§ Updated Transit Asset Management Plan
§ 100% Fleet installation of Automated Passenger Counters (APC's)
§ Settlement Agreement executed with BRT contractor
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
There are no advantages or disadvantages associated with this report. It is intended to provide an update on strategic activities.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
This report does not recommend an action; therefore, no alternatives analysis is presented.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Staff Report 21-372b Strategic Plan Addendum
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Strategic Plan Dashboard
2. Strategic Metric Progress Report
Prepared by:
William Tonis, Director of Business Sciences
In Collaboration with:
Alieza Bircher, Senior Project Manager
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Planning & Development
Chris Andrichak, Chief Financial Officer
Salvador Llamas, Chief Operating Officer
Ahsan Baig, Chief Information Officer
Beverly Greene, Executive Director of External Affairs, Marketing & Communications
Sebron Flenaugh III, Executive Director of Human Resources
Approved/Reviewed by:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering