The Transportation Agency annually conducts outreach to identify unmet transit needs. This unmet needs process is associated with the Local Transportation Fund (LTF), which is one of two designated funding sources for public transit created by the California Transportation Development Act (TDA). Local Transportation Funds are generated through a quarter percent of the general sales tax, which are returned to the county by the California State Board of Equalization and apportioned by the Transportation Agency to county jurisdictions through a population-based formula for public transit.
The formation of the Monterey-Salinas Transit District and past unmet transit needs findings dictate how the Transportation Agency allocates Local Transportation Funds. As Monterey-Salinas Transit District members, every city in the county allocates its annual fund apportionment to Monterey-Salinas Transit for public transit services. The County of Monterey is obligated to allocate approximately 50% of its funds off the top to the Transit District for public transit and RIDES services within 3/4 mile of the existing fixed-routes, which represents the County population inside the 3/4 mile zones specified by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The Transportation Agency's 2010 finding on unmet transit needs allowed Monterey-Salinas Transit to claim the remaining County portion to support existing transit operations countywide.
Prior to allocating these transit funds, the Agency is required to provide for a public hearing and outreach to identify unmet transit needs. The Transportation Development Act statues require transportation planning agencies using transit funds for local street and road projects, to implement a public process, including a public hearing, to identify unmet transit needs of transit dependent or disadvantaged persons, and determine if unmet transit needs can be reasonably met. Because the Transportation Agency no longer allocates transit funds to local streets and roads, the Agency is no longer required to adopt a finding on unmet transit needs. However, the Agency still continues to solicit public input on unmet transit needs and places comments into the following categories:
- Transit service improvement requests that would improve an existing service.
- Transit service expansion requests that extend a transit route beyond its current limits and fill a gap in service.
- Capital improvement projects that would enhance existing public transit facilities.
The unmet transit needs process is attached. The unmet transit needs comment list serves as a public input tool for MST's short- and long-term transit service planning and improvements, and assists in prioritizing transit projects as funds become available. All comments are reviewed with MST staff to consider options to implement requests based on the time frame in which unmet transit needs can be met. The MST Mobility Advisory Committee, which serves as the Transportation Agency's Social Services Transportation Advisory Council, reviewed the comments, provided input and recommended that the TAMC Board accept the 2021 Unmet Transit Needs list at their May 26, 2021 meeting.
This year, the Transportation Agency received the following comment:
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et Comment / Need
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Year Identified
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Category
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Timeline
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Status in 2021
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Improve service to the Ryan Ranch area for access to medical appointments |
2021
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N/A
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N/A
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Ryan Ranch is already serviced by Line 93. MST may consider increasing frequency of Line 93 with Measure Q funds, if funding becomes available. |
In the upcoming fiscal year, MST is unable to meet several of the previously identified unmet transit needs in the attached list. For example, shuttle service to Pinnacles National Park and service to San Juan Grade Road and Russell Road in Salinas are both unmet transit needs that are cost-prohibitive at this time. Other needs have been addressed and are listed in the chart as "resolved." The unmet transit needs requests that are not able to be addressed this year will remain on the list and will be part of next year's unmet transit needs process.
Staff recommends the Board of Directors receive the 2021 Unmet Transit Needs list. The allocation of State Transit Assistance and Transportation Development Act funding is expected to be brought for the Board's consideration in August 2021.