Caltrain governance in age of electrification yoriko kishimoto
1. Caltrain Governance in
Age of Electrification
Yoriko Kishimoto, Friends of Caltrain
Former Mayor of Palo Alto
Former Board member, Valley Transportation
Authority
2.
3. Caltrain: History
* 1863-2013: Celebrating 150 years of passenger service on
Peninsula
* Began as San Francisco and San Jose Railroad Company
(private company but 1/3 owned by voters of 3 counties in
3-county election)
* Came to be owned and operated by Southern Pacific
* Passed to hands of State of California and Joint Powers
Board (JPB), subject to voluntary annual appropriations
from three counties
4. Caltrain Governance: Goals and Criteria
* Stable, dedicated funding
* For riders, seamless ride in payment,
transfers, schedules, quality transit that works
* For riders and taxpayers: cost effective
delivery of service and fair cost allocation
* Balance between region-wide efficiency and
responsiveness to local needs
5. 3 models of re-organization
* Incremental Improvements
* Caltrain special district - all of 3 counties or
special district boundaries
* Public transit coordination authority model
6. Incremental improvements
* Ridership and farebox revenue - $22.4 million in farebox
in FY2004 to adopted budget $66.1 million in FY2014
* Updated cost allocation among three counties to reflect
changing commute patterns
* Need coordinated 3-5 year operating and capital budgets
to avoid last minute crises
* Electrification and TransBay extension
7. Caltrain special district
* Special legislation to allow three counties to
vote as one for Caltrain parcel tax (950,000
parcels)
* Special district to include only areas in
“Caltrain sphere” could also be considered
8. Learning from other regions:
Public transit coordination authority model
* What do other global regions do to coordinate
9 counties, 3 large cities, 98 smaller cities, 26
transit agencies?
* Michelle DeRobertis: public transport
coordination authority that coordinates but
leaves independent transit operators
