TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Kathleen Kelly, Interim General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: Strategic Plan Progress Update
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving the Semi-annual Strategic Plan progress update.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
The Strategic Plan contains the District’s vision, mission, and core values, which serve as the foundation for the organization to build, operate, and maintain a diverse East Bay bus transit system.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no specific fiscal impact associated with this briefing item.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
The Strategic Plan is a policy document which was adopted by the Board of Directors in April 2019 and amended in May 2022. The amended plan describes the District's "Revive & Thrive" future scenario, focusing on a business environment with a customer experience lens that allows the District to navigate changing conditions. The "Revive & Thrive" scenario brings to the forefront finance, service quality/customer experience, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA), shared mobility/innovation, public and political support, and health and safety as focus areas to guide the District toward reaching success in achieving its goals.
This staff report provides an update 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 external 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
§ Environmental Improvements
§ Prioritize DEIA
Strategic Highlights
To ensure a safe and secure environment for customers and employees, staff plans to finalize revisions to the Emergency Operations Plan this spring. A joint labor-management safety committee will be established in late summer to address the FTA Safety Rulemaking and NTD safety performance targets, with the aim of reducing injuries and safety incidents.
Work is ongoing to accelerate capital improvements that enhance service, including the completion of the Transit Performance Initiatives project at Telegraph and the remaining Quick Build projects. To maintain Transit Asset Management (TAM) benchmarks, the annual TAM Performance Report for 2024 was completed and submitted to the TAM Advisory Committee.
To modernize technology and improve efficiency, staff has identified a workflow automation platform for converting paper records to electronic formats, aiming to achieve a 50% reduction in paper usage. A review and analysis of business processes with stakeholders across all departments is targeted for completion by the end of 2025.
Investment strategies for talent acquisition, implemented to attract, hire, and retain personnel, have successfully met the original goal of reducing vacancies by 1%. Since 2023, the District’s vacancy rate has decreased by 2% annually.
The District has improved its image with external audiences by receiving the Community Impact Award from the East Bay Economic Development Alliance and three first-place APTA AdWheel awards in the first quarter of 2025. Additionally, outreach and public workshops have been conducted for Quick Build projects to increase public awareness of key initiatives, projects, and programs.
AC Transit’s engagement with constituents has strengthened, evidenced by a 20% increase in partnerships since FY23. New partnerships include co-marketing with the Oakland Roots Soccer Team for the 2025 season, the Oakland Restaurants Week 2025 events, and Bike East Bay's "To Wherever Day" in 2025.
Efforts to reduce the district’s vehicle emissions are ongoing, with 114 new CARB-compliant diesel buses now in service, and plans to initiate additional CARB-compliant bus procurements in 2025.
Efficiency benchmarks for operations regarding energy, materials, and utilities have been completed and included in the Climate Action and Sustainability Plan (CASP), which was presented to the Board of Directors in September 2024.
The Strategic Plan was scheduled for an update in 2025. However, because FY 25-26 will be a transition year with the primary focus of the district on advocating for external funding to sustain existing levels of service, staff recommends that we postpone starting a new Strategic Plan until the fall of 2026 when the District’s funding outlook is more clear. In the meantime, the District is required by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission to prepare a draft Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) by December 2025, with final Board approval in March 2026 . The SRTP will require that the District update its financial projections based on economic scenarios developed by MTC. It is expected that the level of effort will lie somewhere between the mini SRTP, last completed in 2022, and the full SRTP required in previous years. The SRTP will develop information, including financial projections, to help the Board make important short-term decisions, and will set the stage for a new Strategic Planning process to begin later in 2026.
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:
Attachment 1 - Strategic Plan Dashboard
Attachment 2 - Strategic Plan Metric Progress
Prepared by:
William Tonis, Director of Business Sciences
In Collaboration with:
Alieza Bircher, Sr. Project Manager
Jim Cunradi, Transportation Planning Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development & Planning
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering