Monterey-Salinas Transit (MST) is considering significant changes to its bus network in the course of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) (web attachment 1). Many transit agencies review their entire network every five to ten years, to make sure their services align with the community's needs. The last time MST undertook such a comprehensive study was in the late 1990s. The result of the existing network is that many overlapping lines operate at very low frequencies. This means that it can take a very long time to get from destination A to B, even when those locations are nearby. Additionally, over the last 25 years, Monterey County has experienced major shifts in where people live and work and there is unmet demand for service in the City of Salinas.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought more focus onto equity issues related to transit. MST is utilizing the Comprehensive Operational Analysis as an opportunity to establish the way out of pandemic-era planning, and to facilitate MST's recovery from the impacts of the pandemic.

The Comprehensive Operational Analysis includes the following components:

• An initial assessment of the issues faced by the existing network, detailed in the "Choices Report"
• A consultation with stakeholders and members of the public about their values and priorities for transit, and with bus riders about their experience with the existing system.
• Direction from the MST Board of Directors' Operations Performance Committee to make changes that respond to the concerns heard.

In May 2021, the MST Board Operations Performance Committee directed MST staff to focus on the following three priority areas for the Plan:

• Ridership over coverage: focusing better and more frequent service where more people live and work rather than spreading minimal service to as many areas of the County as possible
• Equity over equality: targeting the areas that have the greatest need for public transit rather than spreading service equally among the population
• Regional balance of transit service: 40% service to Peninsula area, 40% service to Salinas, and the remaining 20% to other areas.

Through the development of the Comprehensive Operational Analysis and Draft Network Plan, MST is considering three different funding scenarios:

• Low Scenario - This is the contingency scenario. It assumes either general fund sources (i.e., fares, State, non-pandemic federal funds, etc...) recover very slowly from the pandemic, or insufficient workforce is available to operate at full capacity, or both.
• Medium Scenario - This assumes regular general fund sources recover to pre-pandemic levels by the time MST’s federal pandemic recovery funds run out. This funding scenario also aligns with estimates in MST’s FY21/22-FY22/23 operating budget and staffing levels.
• High Scenario - This scenario assumes voters approve a new sales tax including 1/8-cent for service increases, or another similarly sized new source of funding is generated for increased service levels.

MST will provide a presentation on the draft Comprehensive Operational Analysis and provide an overview of the changes proposed under the three different funding scenarios and the timeline for implementation of the re-designed network. In addition to providing public comments, participation in the MST Community Survey (web attachment 2) is encouraged.