Commission approves Metro Transit Title VI update with 8% disparity threshold

The Transportation Commission voted to approve Metro Transit’s Title VI program update and set the disparate‑impact and disproportionate‑burden threshold at 8% for future analyses. Connor Mountford, Metro Transit’s interim planning and scheduling manager, told the commission staff had surveyed 28 peer agencies and proposed a 15% threshold as the median industry value; after discussion the commission chose 8% as a compromise.

Commissioners pressed staff on how the change would affect detection of service inequities and what monitoring would look like going forward. Mountford explained the practical effect: "Moving that threshold would be for for future, analysis," and said the chosen threshold can be adjusted by the commission in future updates. Jamie Acton, Metro Transit general manager, told commissioners the transit agency is open to refining the number if the commission prefers a smaller step and said agency reporting (a regular "report card") will allow ongoing oversight. The commission directed staff to revise the Title VI document to reflect the 8% threshold before submission to the Federal Transit Administration.