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Task force opens wide discussion on TDA reform and state funding options
Summary
Members debated Transportation Development Act (TDA) performance measures, the role of farebox recovery, unmet‑needs hearings and the need for new or restructured state funding for transit, with several members urging the task force to connect performance expectations to any new or expanded funding streams.
The Transit Transformation Task Force took up a broad discussion of the Transportation Development Act (TDA), State Transit Assistance (STA) and other funding mechanisms for transit operations, focusing on whether current performance requirements are appropriate and how the state could incentivize outcomes that increase ridership and service sustainability.
Staff gave a brief overview of TDA and current waivers that have been used in recent years. Members identified four central questions: what outcomes should TDA funds promote, do current TDA requirements incentivize those outcomes, how should performance be measured and reported, and what role should the state take in reallocating or expanding funding to meet operational needs.
Several members urged removing or rethinking farebox‑recovery and other efficiency standards. Michael Turner, representing a regional perspective, stressed that the state has enacted large, dedicated programs for roads and highways without imposing similar performance rules, and cautioned against a double standard for transit. Sharon Cooney of San Diego MTS and others argued that farebox recovery tests can push agencies toward fare increases that harm the most transit‑dependent riders.
Others said any change to TDA should be paired with a discussion of funding volume and accountability. Ian Griffiths and Juan Matute recommended linking a retooled performance framework to a clear funding proposal — for example, focusing on service effectiveness, user experience, and outcomes such as jobs accessible within a given time rather than raw cost ratios.
Members also discussed the unmet‑needs hearing process, which regions use to decide whether to allow TDA funds for non‑transit uses (often streets and roads). Public advocates called for a reassessment, saying the burden of proof often falls on transit agencies and members of the public rather than the local agencies seeking to spend the funds elsewhere.
Several members urged staff to return with scenario analyses and options the Legislature could act on, not simply incremental waiver requests. Senator and legislative staff in the room noted interest in a more fundamental reexamination of how TDA/STA funding is allocated and whether new sources or formula changes are necessary.
No final policy was adopted; the task force asked staff to prepare deeper analysis and to present funding scenarios and proposed performance metrics at a future meeting.
