TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager
SUBJECT: District Preparedness and Response to COVID-19
BRIEFING ITEM
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving an update on the District's actions to date in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19) and associated efforts to secure federal and state financial support for the District.
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STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Safe and Secure Operations
Initiative - Financial Efficiency and Revenue Maximization
This report outlines the District's preparedness, planning and response to COVID-19, including efforts to date to provide service that is safe for customers and employees. Additional efforts to support employees, communicate with riders, and efforts to secure emergency funding to support the District's operations are also outlined in this report.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
Beginning the week of March 8, the District began experiencing a steady decline in ridership. On March 13, ridership declines marked a 40% decrease which increased steadily and as of March 30, the District's ridership had seen a 93% decrease.
Staff calculations estimate a loss of $3 Million in farebox revenues during the month of March. The $3 Million estimate does not factor in other fiscal impacts such as the reduction in sales tax revenues from both Alameda and Contra Costa Counties, the impact to sales tax revenues will not be known for several more months.
Staff has established a unique project code to track resources spent on the COVID-19 response. This includes additional expenditures incurred by the District including but not limited to additional staff time, personal protective equipment (PPE) purchases, additional costs incurred for increased cleaning and preventative maintenance, additional communications related expenditures and costs related to additional equipment and systems to support a large number of staff working from home as a result of the shelter in place order. Calif...
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